Wicked Games
by Aedelstan
Summary: Rebellions against the Wizard waged throughout Oz. Elphaba leads the insurrections. What she didn't expect was that an old friend was a commander of the other side of the fight. Beginning a dangerous affair, Elphaba and Glinda didn't know how long they can hold out for each other from both sides of the war. Definitely AU. Gelphie. Book and Musical references.
1. Chapter 1: The Wizard's Problems

_Rebellions against the Wizard waged throughout Oz. Elphaba leads the insurrections. What she didn't expect was that an old friend was a commander of the other side of the fight. Beginning a dangerous affair, Elphaba and Glinda didn't know how long they can hold out for each other from both sides of the war. Definitely AU. Gelphie. Book and Musical references._

**A/N: **I guess college life increases productivity…

To be honest, I'm entirely excited to do this one since I already plotted it. Slightly dark themes.

_Wicked _belongs to Gregory Maguire, Stephen Schwartz, and, of course, L. Frank Baum.

Majority of the names here are from the book, so please, bear with me. I don't want to be so original with the names, since the right of bestowing Ozians their names belonged to Gregory Maguire.

* * *

**Chapter One: The Wizard's Problems**

It. Was. _Boring_.

Glinda sat on her chair next to Wizard in the cavernous, emerald throne room, listening to dull and seemingly interminable reports being recited monotonously by the herald. The reporting was going on for about half an hour now. She fought valiantly to keep herself from nodding off or yawning. She even regretted the fact that she picked one of her best dresses for a lifeless task of sitting on her bum.

Morrible sat on the Wizard's other side, listening raptly.

The Wizard himself had his palm across his eyes. He was slumped against the velvet cushions of his towering throne. Whether he was listening or not was none of Glinda's concern. She didn't even care if he made a fool out of himself by being totally clueless to the happenings of the world he was "governing".

"… and in Qhoyre, the governor's son, seven years of age, drowned. The governor had been collecting more taxes for his son's funeral, to be attended by the governors of—"

"_Just _tell me the reports concerning the insurrections, you bumbling twit! _Now_!" the Wizard snapped out of the blue, pounding a fist on the mahogany armrest of the throne, which emitted a resonating thud around the room.

Glinda inwardly sighed and leaned back on her seat. It hadn't been the first time she saw the outbursts of the Wizard.

"Pardon, sir," the herald said, bowing slightly. Apparently, he too had been used to his master's poor anger management issues, "The Brox Hall train station was bombed last night, and two of our soldiers fell in the attack. And earlier today, the troop assigned to Traem all fell in an ambush. No bodies were recovered, Your Ozness."

The Wizard set his palms on his armrests, his face contorted in a grimace. "Get out of my sight," he commanded, and the herald took his leave swiftly after a courteous bow in front of the throne.

"The hooligans are running amuck near the Gillikin Forest, it seems," Morrible commented, looking over to the dull gray sky outside the ceiling high windows.

"These bastards are at it for a week now," the Wizard growled angrily, "Every _single _day! Bombing here, attacking there—_Who _is responsible for all _this_?"

"I'd be happy to take care of them for you," Morrible said pompously, straightening in her seat, "Honestly, I can kill them all with a wave of my hand."

"And kill fellow Ozians in the process?" the Wizard droned, his eyes flashing dangerously, "That action alone will cause _more _problems!"

At that moment, the tall doors of the throne room opened with an almighty groan.

A man entered, wearing his dark emerald uniform. A gleaming sword with a golden scabbard hung from his pure silver belt. Insignias on his chest shone in the fiery light of the chandeliers high above him. He knelt reverently before the Wizard before standing in his full height.

Glinda shifted excitedly on her seat.

"Captain Tiggular," the Wizard said, attempting to look unfazed, "Any news of the whereabouts of the firebrands?"

"A scout confirmed a resistance brewing in Settica," Fiyero recited, "The local café seemed to host sporadic meetings at night. The manager was currently being interrogated in our headquarters there. Awards were being offered to those who will bring a rebel to the authorities."

"Good work, Captain," the Wizard said, sighing in relief, "I want you to go to Settica and rally your troops there. I will send you help tomorrow."

Fiyero bowed and turned to leave, much to Glinda's disappointment. Fiyero didn't even _look _at her.

"Glinda, my dear," the Wizard said, looking over at her as the doors swung close.

"Yes, Your Ozness?" Glinda replied, wanting nothing more than to return to her room and trade sleep for listening to the old coot.

"How about you go to Settica yourself?" the Wizard suggested, "I know you can't do much harm with your powers, but you can be all the intimidation needed to quell those barbarians."

Glinda was quiet for a moment. She vaguely wondered if the Wizard was insinuating that her powers were mainly for entertainment only. Interiorly, she was deeply affronted with the idea. He was downgrading her as a prop to scare the rebels.

"Begging your pardon, sir," she said, trying to sound interested with the offending preposition, "But wouldn't that be a little… _dangerous_? Should something go wrong, I don't know anything about combat."

"It's high time you learn to," Morrible said, standing up, "Might as well start practicing offensive and defensive spells."

"Yes, good idea, Madame Morrible," the Wizard asserted, "You can train Glinda tonight before her leave in the morning."

Glinda inwardly groaned. Refusing was not an option then. Dejectedly, having no choice, she agreed, mentally envisioning that she was hexing the old cow in practice.

* * *

"It worked!" Fiyero said happily as he took a seat.

It was nighttime in Settica. Heavy downpours troubled the town for hours, but it finally cleared by sunset.

The pub was brimming with life. A large group of odd assortment of people were clustered and cramped in a corner, buzzing noisily as the Captain of the Ozian Guard joined their midst.

The place was devoid of military personnel save Fiyero. As a captain, her gave specific instructions to his men not to enter the pub under the pretense of expelling anyone who would be caught off duty.

Sitting at the middle of the table was Elphaba, clad in her usual all-black attire. Her tall pointy hat rested on her head, immediately making her easily distinguishable from the massive crowd surrounding her. Sprawled out on the table before her were various yellowing parchment containing scribbled notes and drawings serving as makeshift maps and battle plans.

On her right sat Boq, who was excitedly listing down new members.

"What did they say?" Elphaba asked Fiyero, immediately quieting down the eager crowd.

"They want me to rally my troops," Fiyero said, scooting a little closer to her, "He'll be sending some sort of back-up tomorrow. I don't know exactly what it is. I wasn't informed regarding the matter much.

"Powerful firepower, perhaps?" suggested Boq, laying down the list in front of Elphaba.

"They haven't got anything that strong yet," Fiyero answered, and the rowdy crowd started suggesting their own ideas.

"Regardless," Elphaba announced loudly so that everyone could hear, "We'll take them in the woods. Their strategies won't work if they're not in formation. The trees will hinder them from forming ranks. We'll use that to our advantage."

The rest of the meeting was a blur of raised voices and heated debates. Eventually, with a plan drawn at hand, the throng dispersed.

In the shadows of the night, Elphaba, Boq, and Fiyero left through the back door.

"See you tomorrow, then?" Boq asked, attempting to close his sling bag, which was fully loaded with a thick stack of papers.

"Same time at sunrise," answered the green girl, walking over to the opposite direction with her broom in her hand, and a knapsack on her back.

The two men waved each other goodbye, and Boq walked brusquely to a dark alley.

"Go back to your headquarters, captain," Elphaba droned when she sensed the presence of her companion, "You wouldn't want to be sighted with the leader of a gang of loonies."

"I can always tell them I'm out and about doing my rounds," Fiyero said, running to her side since his cover was blown, "Let me walk you home."

Elphaba had been staying in the attic of a dilapidated bakery. The old woman minding the shop had willingly let her occupy the room since she never goes up there anymore due to her age and health problems.

"I can manage myself, thanks," Elphaba muttered, glancing over at his pristine uniform, as if accusing him of daring to go to their meeting wearing such clothing.

"No, no, I insist," Fiyero eagerly answered almost in an instant.

"I'm _fine_, Fiyero," Elphaba said, almost sounding like a groan. They stopped in the shadow of a crumbling apartment. They could hear the tinkering of the glasses and low voices of the people in the saloon just in the other side of the wall. "Look, you can't keep up appearances wearing the clothing of the enemy. It's _too _eye-catching."

"Oh…" Fiyero uttered, staring at her.

Elphaba diverted her gaze.

She found Fiyero's persistent _nearness _deeply annoying. It flattered her at first, but leading groups of rebels all over Oz veered her unreasonable feelings completely off course. She was entirely grateful of his help, but she didn't like the thought of romance getting into the picture.

"Good night, then, Elphaba," Fiyero decided to say, giving her a mandatory nod of the head, "I'll see you tomorrow… Yeah… I'll wear, um, I'll wear something different, I promise."

And then he practically ran off, leaving the green girl in the darkness.

Sighing, Elphaba continued her journey home alone.

_No law holds you now_, Elphaba recited in her mind the creed she made for herself, _You make your own laws._ _You hold the future of Oz in your hands. If that meant forfeiting love, then so be it. So be it then. _

**A/N: **Yes, well… started a little weak here. Sorry for that. Been up since five in the morning only to remember there were no classes T_T Damn…


	2. Chapter 2: Of Peace and Hatred

**A/N: **Must… sleep—

But _nooooo_. Gelphie had to come and bug me to _death_.

* * *

**Chapter Two: Of Peace and Hatred**

"Ready?"

Boq had been incessantly fidgety with his rifle for the last hour that Elphaba actually smirked.

"Ask one more time and you're going back to town," she reprimanded him with an air of amusement.

"It's my first time out in the field," the Munchkin replied, frowning slightly, "I've never even held a gun before. Oh Oz, this is going to be exciting!"

"Just keep your head on," she quipped, crouching low.

She and two dozen of her men were hidden in the Gillikin Forest, waiting for Fiyero's troops. As was scheduled, Fiyero was currently directing his men to head over to the woods to pursue a rebel on a run, specifically plotting their route for them. Elphaba and her group had been on their posts for an hour to ensure their position and ready their traps. They didn't know how long it would take Fiyero to brief his men.

"Oz, they don't know what will hit them," Boq commented delightedly.

Elphaba can't help but smile too. "They don't indeed," she can't help but relish the thought. "Let's see how the Wizard likes it once their heads were sent to his gates."

* * *

Back in Settica, Fiyero stood on a dais outside the headquarters, his hands behind his back.

"Are we clear?" Fiyero inquired with commanding authority.

"Sir, yes, sir!" the troop replied in unison.

As Fiyero opened his mouth to send them off to their deaths, the door of the office flew open. A young, breathless cadet saluted him before reporting, "Captain, sir, Lady Glinda is here."

Fiyero balked on the spot.

"Come again?" he asked, madly wishing that he had heard wrong.

"Sir, Lady Glinda is here, sir," the cadet replied firmly.

"Well," Fiyero said, gulping with difficulty, "Tell her to make herself comfortable and that I will see her later—"

"There's no need for that, captain," replied Glinda herself, stepping out into the night wrapped in a thick travelling cloak.

Despite the panic and confusion, Fiyero deigned to go through formalities. He bowed courteously at her, "Lady Glinda,"

"So," Glinda said brightly, feeling jumpy inside. _Fiyero just looked _dashing _in that uniform_, she thought. "I believe that this is an attack against these… These rebels."

"Yes, my lady," Fiyero said, his eyes trained on the ground below Glinda's feet. _Oz, why did THIS have to happen? Why HER? How am I going to explain this to Elphaba? _"I believe that the suspect on the run will lead us to their hideout."

"Then I shall accompany them," Glinda said without second thoughts, smiling brightly at the men in ranks. Despite of not being allowed to, some of them can't help but smile back.

Fiyero was thankful for the night. He felt blood rush out of his head.

"That wouldn't be necessary, Lady Glinda," he said, willing his voice to steady itself, "You might get hurt."

Glinda felt slightly put out. _Why does everybody think I can't do things on my own? _"Captain, _Fiyero_," Glinda said, stepping over to him, "The Wizard sent me. I am _obliged _to do this. Besides, I can protect myself. They have their guns, I have my magic."

_Exactly_, Fiyero thought, insidiously losing his mind in panic. "Well," he started, damning himself, "If you must. Then let me accompany you, my Lady."

_Oh Lurline, am I really THAT helpless? _Glinda's smile degraded by a fraction. "No need to worry, captain, I can keep things under control," she said, standing straight as if it will add effect. _I'll show you. I'll show you all_.

_What did I do wrong in the past life? _Fiyero mentally groaned.

* * *

"It's taking them forever," Boq complained, easing against a rough tree to rest.

He sat up almost immediately.

There was a thundering sound of heavy boots snapping twigs and crunching roots seeped into their ears.

"Oh _finally_," Elphaba grumbled, steadying herself to her position.

Shadows were silhouetted in the darkness. She could see men in almost uniform heights, and if she wasn't mistaken, she could also make out much shorter figure leading the group, wearing a hooded cloak over its head. Not that she bothered who it was. Fiyero, of course, was not coming in accordance to her instructions.

The first of their traps sprang to life as the troop entered the clearing.

It went off with a deafening bang, covering everything in a thick, viscous fog. The guards were coughing, and a report rang out, followed by the sound of their muskets being aimed at various directions.

From her spot in the bushes, Elphaba produced her signal: a bright green flare shooting from her fingertips to the night sky, temporarily bathing everything in a verdant hue.

"_Fire_!" she shouted.

"_Fire_!" a colleague of hers reiterated from his post at the trees, drawing the attention of the muskets from the guards.

"_Fire it all_!" another bellowed at his station by the edge of the clearing.

All hell broke loose.

Guns lit up the night, dying screams and howls accompanied the roaring of the bullets as they were blasted from their muzzles. The fog did its job well. It completely blinded the soldiers. Other than her, Boq, and four other men, all the others were up at the trees, raining fire.

The four men circled the clearing, swiftly slashing out the throats of those who were planning to run away. Boq was firing and howling an odd war cry like there's no tomorrow. Elphaba, of course, had no firearm with her. She could deal with anyone with her exceptional magic, and her group respected her for that.

As the butchery took place, Elphaba simply crouched in her position, relishing the agony taking place right before her eyes.

* * *

_Oh Oz! Oz, Oz, Oz, Oz, Oz—Dammit! This is not good. This is DEFINITELY NOT good!_

Glinda dove for the ground at the start of the exchange of bullets. Not a moment too soon, a dead body of a guard fell _on _her. She was certain she screamed, but she hadn't heard her own voice over the din of the shooting. She curled her hand into fists when she felt the man's blood trickle down on her back, seeping through her thick clothing and onto her skin.

She definitely cannot see _anything _at the state of the fog.

Several pained screams battered her ears before she pushed off the corpse from her and waved her hand in the air, sending the menacing hindrance scattering into nothingness.

She was enraged now that the air had cleared. She could see a third of her companions had been decimated by the onslaught. The offenders seemed to be dazed by the loss of their cover.

Wildly articulating her hands and ramming her brain to think of spells, Glinda sent a mighty gush of wind to the trees above them.

One by one, the rebels were wrenched from their hiding places above, dropping their weapons in sheer shock.

"Company, _fire_!" the leader of the troop commanded as he aimed his own musket in the air.

Now the wheel has turned around.

* * *

Elphaba was numbed.

Boq had been blown back by the sudden force and was unconscious upon the collision of the back of his head against the tree that he used to support himself moments ago.

Horrified, Elphaba could only watch all of her men being suspended in the air, completely subjected to the mercy of the soldiers.

The guards fired, and she clenched her jaw at the death of her friends. She glared at the sorcerer holding them up. Apparently, the stranger was angry with the attempted murder. One of the rebels was separated, with a free hand, the sorcerer dropped him onto the ground _hard_ before raising him again, only to be plummeted onto the earth.

Elphaba had enough.

Truly frustrated, she threw her hands before her with a cry, blasting the soldiers back. The sorcerer staggered, but regained footing after a split second. The rebels fell completely on the ground, none of them moving. Majority of the troop fell unconscious, and a few of them fled back to Settica.

Elphaba raised herself from the ground, her face in an unwelcoming grimace at the sorcerer.

To her _immense _surprise, the sorcerer was actually a _sorceress_.

* * *

Glinda glared at the new _problem _joining in the chaos, and this one had a _bite _to it.

In shock, her concentration fell, and so did her captives. She cringed at the sound of the bodies crashing onto the ground around her, She heard her companions scamper back to Settica.

_Great. Thanks for the support_, she thought bitterly, facing the offending intruder.

Her jaw fell when she saw that the attacker was _green_… Wearing stark black clothing, and a hat… A pointy black hat…

It was indeed Elphaba Thropp in the flesh. Her eyes were hot in a searing gaze of insurmountable rage. She barely had control over her own breathing the way her chest rose and fell in an erratic speed.

In Glinda's turn, she lowered her hood, and called out in a gentle manner, "Elphie-?"

"_Don't _call me that," Elphaba growled threateningly, marching nearer, her fists curled to her sides, "Don't you _ever _call me that _again_!" She stopped in a good distance from the nonplussed blonde.

"What are you doing here?" Glinda asked, all other emotions turning into joy and apprehension at the sight of a friend, of an _angry _friend.

"What are _you _doing here?" Elphaba shot back the question, nose flaring. "What are you doing here, killing off people—"

"Excuse me?" Glinda said, quirking an eyebrow. She huffed indignantly. "_Killing _people? What does that even _mean_-?"

"Oh don't play the _idiot_ here," Elphaba snapped, pointing at the dead men scattered around them without even looking, "I used to think that you couldn't even kill a rat chewing off your blankets back at Shiz. I can't believe how _wrong _I am!"

"I'm not the _murderer _here!" Glinda shouted back, her annoyance building up, "I see now. _You're _the one who led all those attacks! _You're _the one _killing _people!"

"I'm _wicked _through and through, and you know that," Elphaba growled, taking a step forward, "Morrible bestowed me that title, remember? Years ago? Back in that attic? _Wicked Witch_. I'm just living up to it. What I _can't _believe is _you_! The way you tossed my friends around like some they're kind of ball—"

"They were trying to kill_ me_, for your information!" Glinda shot back, taking a step forward too, "And that was nowhere near killing!"

Elphaba took some time to calm down, hating the fact that Glinda had won their senseless verbal argument. "… Damn you," she muttered, "What the _hell_ are you doing here anyway?"

"You were having too much fun," Glinda answered, crossing her arms and frowning at her, "The Wizard said that I should do something about it. You and your _shenanigans _are causing everyone problems."

"I'm _trying _to get rid of the problem," Elphaba retorted, "And I don't see how _colorful _your life could be compared to mine, waiting around for the old charlatan and acting like a mascot in front of everyone and telling them how _wonderful _everything is—"

"Now you stop right there, Elphaba Thropp!" Glinda shrieked, stomping her foot in frustration, "It's not _my _fault you were an _idiot_ back then! You could've made your life easier if you hadn't fled from the problem on your _wretched, magical _broomstick! You and your _pathetic _excuse for flying baboons!"

Elphaba's hands had clamped themselves on the front of Glinda's cloak, yanking the small blonde towards her. Glinda felt her feet leave the ground, and their noses were almost pressed against each other.

"What did you say?" Elphaba said in a dangerously low tone, making Glinda shudder involuntarily, "Why would I want to be what you are now? I am _nothing _like you. I can think. I have a heart. I can _feel_."

Their faces were so close to each other that Glinda could almost count her lashes. The tears brimming on the lids of her eyes didn't come amiss.

"Elphaba…" Glinda breathed, feeling that shouting wasn't worth it anymore, "Please. Don't."

She tried to wipe them, only to have her hand slapped away. She cringed at the impact, but she didn't avert her eyes from Elphaba's.

"You don't know the _hell _I've been through," the green girl growled, her voice cracking with emotion, "Just because your life is _perfect_, you don't have to rub it in my face."

"I didn't say anything like that," Glinda answered gently, her steely resolve ebbing away at the sight of the broken girl before her, "My life is _nowhere _near perfect."

Elphaba finally released her, and Glinda staggered at the sudden drop, but she quickly got over it, staring up at her. Elphaba was looking at the bodies all around them, her anguish heightening even further.

Against all better judgments, Glinda leaned forward to embrace her.

"I've missed you, you know?" Glinda whispered to her shoulder, snuggling her nose to the fabric, thankful that she wasn't pushed away. "And I'm sorry."

She even felt relieved that Elphaba had wrapped her own arms around her, resting her chin on the top of her head.

"You didn't get hurt, did you?" Elphaba asked, tightening her throat to subdue whatever it was threatening to spill out of her lips and her eyes.

"I'm really sorry," Glinda pressed, not willing to let the subject drop unless she was formally forgiven.

Elphaba broke up their hug to look down at her. "You're right," she decided to say, "_I'm _the murderer here. You have nothing to apologize for. It was an understandable self-defense. Meanwhile, I killed—"

"Elphaba, don't say that," Glinda interrupted her, entwining their hands together, "I don't see you that way."

Elphaba finally gave her a smile. It was a small smile, but a smile nonetheless. "I've missed you calling me Elphie, you know that?"she admitted.

"So… I can call you Elphie again?" Glinda asked, glad that they were returning to their old terms.

Elphaba gently squeezed her hands. Glinda took that as a yes.

For hours, together, they buried those who died. All done with magic to ensure its swiftness. Seeing as all of Elphaba's comrades had fallen, Glinda didn't dare handle the bodies of the rebels, deeming that it was not her place to give them the last rites they deserved. There were more soldiers who died, and eventually, Elphaba helped her, though Glinda knew she must be angry to bury the killers of her friends.

"Let's leave the soldiers here," Elphaba said a little later, looking over at the passed out men in uniform, "They can find their way back. I'll be taking Boq home."

"Who?" Glinda asked, searching her brain for matches of the aforementioned name.

"He was a fellow Shiz student," Elphaba explains, "Now I want you to return to town, report the attack, and head back to the Emerald City. Tell the old man and that _cow_ how you escaped from the Wicked Witch."

"I'm not going to make you look the evil one," Glinda immediately said, frowning.

Elphaba looked over at her with a sad glint in her eyes. "Promise me you _won't _try to clear my name," she said, sounding incredibly tired, "It's better that way."

Glinda bit her lip, and an uncomfortable silence enveloped them.

"I'll see you again, won't I?" she asked, the question sounding ever so childish in her ears.

"Give me a week to explain to everyone what had happened here," Elphaba said, deep sorrow cloaking her voice, "They have families, you know…"

"I know…" Glinda said in a small voice, lowering her eyes.

"Meet me here again after a week," Elphaba said, "We'll talk more then." She trusts Glinda. She knew she shouldn't, but being betrayed by her spritely little friend seemed unlikely, _impossible_, to happen. She reminded herself that she also trusts Fiyero, who was working for the Wizard as well.

They stood awkwardly for seconds, neither of them deciding to move, until Glinda looked up.

"Until next week then?" she asserted.

"Yes," Elphaba answered, snapping out of a deep trance,"Till next week."

"Well," Glinda uttered, unsure of why tearing herself from her friend seemed difficult, "Goodbye… for now…"

She whirled around, knowing that prolonging her stay will make it impossible to leave her misunderstood friend. She raced out of the forest, unaware of the number of times she tripped and slipped.

_I'll be back… I'll be back for you. I promise_.

* * *

**A/N: **Arrrrgghhhh… My eyes… Oh well, **404: Brain Not Found. **System _overload_. I wouldn't be surprised if I look like a veggie right now…


	3. Chapter 3: Lies

**A/N: **Yes, well, I'm well rested, I guess… (?) I think I'm lying to myself -_- FTW Five hours of sleep doesn't even cut it. Rushing things a bit -_-

* * *

**Chapter Three: Lies**

"I should've known that green _monstrosity_ was leading this _damned _revolution," the Wizard growled, griping his armrests too hard that his nails almost chipped the wood.

Glinda stood before his throne, fresh from her trip from Settica. It was early at dawn; the sun hasn't even risen yet. She haven't slept all night, and she was certain that she reeked of blood and gunpowder. She faced the Wizard without even consulting a mirror to see if she was presentable enough. She didn't have to. She knew she looked like _shit_. What slightly alarmed her was that she didn't care.

Morrible, however, was not entirely interested with the fact that Elphaba was leading insurrections. She was more piqued with Glinda's _unlikely _survival. "How did you get away again?" she asked, narrowing her eyes, not entirely convinced with the blonde's delivery of report.

Glinda had her story rehearsed the whole time she was travelling back to the Emerald City in her bubble. "Elphaba Thropp had attacked us with an unknown magic," Glinda reiterated, _loathing _the idea of weighing down Elphaba's name. _She asked for it anyway_. "I managed to hold her off for a while with the spells the Madame taught me. She was stronger than I was, Your Ozness, and when I came to, she was gone."

"Clearly debatable…" Morrible said, an air of suspicion hanging about her words.

"I find it intriguing," the Wizard said, looking at Glinda with new interest, "I'm sure I'm as curious as you are, Madame, how that _fiend _left Glinda here essentially unscathed. Think of all the lives that Wicked Witch took so effortlessly! Glinda, why did you think she chose to let you off?"

"I don't know, sir," the blonde answered, firmly and resolutely. _Because I'm her best friend_.

"You know, Glinda, my dear," the Wizard pondered, looking thoughtfully at her, "Perhaps I have a job for you."

"And what would that be?" Glinda inquired, feeling apprehensive at the thought of being out in the open again.

"I want you to lead one of my battalions," he deadpans.

Glinda felt as though her brain and lungs had just disappeared."I'm sorry?" she said, noticing that her voice had pitched higher.

The Wizard took her shock as excitement. "Clearly, there's a reason why she left you out, and I'd like to use that to our advances. Either she's afraid of you, or she's afraid that by killing you, I'll spare her no quarter. Either way, I can't see why you can't do this responsibility," he said without stopping, sounding thrilled by his own conclusions.

Glinda felt her jaw drop. "But, sir," she piped out, "I don't know anything about military training, and I-I—"

The Wizard waved off her comment with his ringed hands. "Nothing that can't be found in a book," he said with blissful ignorance, "Besides, there's no pressure here. Well, I don't know for sure when the deadline is anyway. You will be in charge of the City's defense, should Elphaba Thropp decide to take the fight to us."

_Oh so now I'm a human shield? First a mascot trained to wave and smile, and then a prop meant to scare the rebels, and now this… _

"I…" Glinda uttered.

Inevitably, without knowing how Elphaba's plans are scheduled, Glinda knew well that she was aiming for the head of the snake. One way or another, the impending war was going to end within the walls of the Emerald City.

_But that can't be too soon, couldn't it? _Glinda uncertainly asserted to herself, _I mean I really don't have to fight Elphaba…_

Something frightening and annoying inside of her was bugging her, sending an uninviting prospect of foreboding at the thought of being locked in dire combat with her best friend.

"Yes," she said aloud to the Wizard, "Yes, of course. I accept it, Your Ozness."

* * *

Half the week had already passed, in which Oz was left with peace as the terror attacks mysteriously stopped.

Elphaba had an interminable time consoling the families of her fallen comrades. The details of their deaths were completely blamed on the soldiers. She omitted the appearance of Glinda, and she was greatly thankful that Boq couldn't remember much of what had happened.

It had helped that the town of Settica wasn't aware of Glinda's arrival. She came into town in late hours left before dawn.

Fiyero had been an exception.

He was overly guilty of not being able to warn Elphaba that the green girl was complied to tell him what had happened. She was generous enough to spew out their encounter, their separation, and even the agreed reunion. She, however, didn't dare talk about the conversation they've had.

Since the soldiers knew that Glinda had been there several nights before, Elphaba had asked Fiyero to come up with a cock-and-bull rule not to spread the story around under the thought of Glinda acting as the Wizard's spy, and therefore, her visit must be kept a secret. Fiyero was too happy to comply. He even had severe punishments ready for those who will disobey him.

On the other hand, she unintentionally got what she wanted.

The citizens of Settica were so enraged that everyone was turned against the Wizard. They even began travelling to Wittica and Frottica to spread the news. Elphaba's uncomely was army was taking shape.

With her work done, Elphaba traveled with Boq and several representatives from the three towns to the Vinkus to begin a new campaign. Fiyero wanted to come. It was a journey to his homeland after all, and it would be much easier to convince the tribes to join the uprising because of his status as a prince. He was, of course, not obliged by Elphaba since it will forfeit his crucial role as a spy for the growing resistance.

Fiyero had given them his abandoned castle in Kiamo Ko to be used as headquarters. He even delayed his return to the Emerald City by helping them settle down, helping the green girl assign rooms and duties to their recruits.

"Fiyero, we're doing _fine_," Elphaba finally said, placing the Grimmerie reverently on her makeshift bed in her room in the tallest tower of the castle.

"No, really," Fiyero said, looking a little flushed as he hauled a massive box of yellowing scrolls in a corner, "I don't mind."

"Fiyero," Elphaba said, crossing her arms and leaning against the rough stone wall behind her, "I don't want you to get in trouble. You were supposed to report to the Wizard _two days _ago. I know you want to help, so _help _us. Your job was to be an insider, not an interior decorator."

Fiyero didn't miss the annoyance in the way she spoke. He couldn't help but frown, feeling incredibly childish.

"Is that all you think of me?" Fiyero inquired, trying to pry off the hurt from his voice, "A spy?"

Elphaba didn't answer. She didn't even blink.

Fiyero wanted to say something, but was put to s atop when a timid knock sounded from the door.

They both looked over and saw Boq in the open doorway. "Elphaba, Fiyero," he started, taking in the tense scene before him, "I'm not interrupting anything am I?"

"No," Elphaba answered immediately, "What is it, Boq?"

"The weapons dealer from Red Windmill is here," answered the Munchkin, "He said he wants a word with you."

"Tell him I'll be there in a minute," Elphaba said, moving over to her battered knapsack to extract her black hat. She heard Boq shuffle down the stone steps, but she was quite certain that Fiyero hadn't moved.

Her hands closed on the fabric. The image of Glinda floated before her eyes.

She clearly remembered the moment she received it from her. She was wearing her frilly pink ballgown, a smile on her face, and arms outstretched before her, handing over an unrecognizable black mass.

Vaguely, Elphaba could still feel the lingering aftershocks of the embrace they had shared several days ago. She could still remember the exact scent her golden curls had carried. Her melodious voice vibrated in her ears, saying the words, "I missed you"…

Deftly shaking her head, she jammed the hat on top of her. _Why her of all people? Why am I even thinking of such tiny details…_

"I didn't mean to offend you, Fiyero," Elphaba said, turning to face him, her flowing black cape swirling at her heels at the motion, "It's just—"

"I know leading groups of rebels all over Oz would've gotten me on the edge if I were the leader," Fiyero interrupted, attempting to smile, "It's okay. I'll be returning to the Emerald City shortly, if that's what you want. I won't disturb you further."

"Fiyero—"

"Until my next report," Fiyero said, his faux smile looking more like a pained grimace, stiffly bowing at her direction.

He turned on his heels and barreled down the stairs two at a time.

* * *

The clock chimed midnight.

Glinda's head snapped up from the pages of a thick tome. She had been reading it since dinner. In no less than three chapters, her face fell on its pages. At the resonating rings of the grandfather clock in her office, she jerked awake at last, unintelligently blurting out, "Whazgoinon?"

She turned to the clock, glaring at it. And then upon the realization of the ungodly hour, she leapt from her seat, toppling the chair over.

_Stupid! Stupid, stupid, stupid! How could I forget that I'm supposed to be meeting Elphaba in the Gillikin Forest? … That's it. I've always known books can do no good. _

In her state of panic, she forgot to put on something warm.

Conjuring a bubble in haste, she flew to their meeting place. She eventually felt lightheaded as she dared to will her bubble to go faster.

She didn't even know if Elphaba was still waiting. The thought of arriving there and finding no one made her sick. If she missed this meeting, she didn't know if she'll ever see her again. It was making her heart thrash wildly within the confines of her ribcage.

Within a quarter of an hour, she was pelting through the woods on her heels, ignoring the cold enveloping her skin and the sore burn on her soles.

World spinning, she reached the clearing.

She was madly panicking at first, seeing it completely devoid of any human being, but an amused voice sliced through the silent air.

"You were never one for arriving in time."

Glinda whirled around and sighed in relief audibly.

Elphaba had sauntered to the clearing, hands behind her back, a smirk on her face. "I remembered one time when you sped into Life Sciences class halfway through the lesson," she stated, stopping in front of the breathless blonde, "You sat next to me, and I was laughing so hard that Doctor Dillamond sent me out. It was the first and the last time I had been asked to leave a classroom."

Glinda rummaged her tired head. She somewhat got a vague memory of something similar to what Elphaba was describing. She remembered that she felt annoyed. "What made you laugh anyway?" she asked, starting to smile herself.

"You still had one of your rollers on your head," Elphaba replied, grinning.

Glinda huffed. "You found that funny?" she asked incredulously. She'd always known her roommate to be tough on humor.

"I found everything you do _cute_, Glinda," the green girl answered, her smile no longer marred with malice. In fact, it almost sounded like tenderness.

Glinda felt her cheeks tingle. Against the cold, warmth was quickly spreading all over her, and suddenly, her breathing labored all the more.

_Oh Oz, what is happening to me? _Glinda thought.

Maybe hundreds of people in her lifetime described her with the same adjective, but _none _of them really flattered her. She _knew _she was cute. She didn't have to hear it from someone else's lips. Apparently, it was different with Elphaba's case. There was an unknown reason that caused her to suddenly _malfunction_.

Picking her head up from the abyss, she decided to say, "I'm _terribly _sorry for being late, Elphie."

She saw Elphaba's eye twitch, but she didn't say anything.

"They wanted me to read this _stupid _book and…" Glinda explained, making her recall her Shiz days. She remembered ranting to Elphaba the amount of homework they had while her roommate nonchalantly shrugged it off, having no problems herself.

Elphaba merely smirked. "Assuming you fell asleep after reading, what, three paragraphs?" she asked in mock curiosity.

"Three _chapters_," Glinda corrected, placing her hands on her petite waist.

"Which reminds me," Elphaba added, finally turning serious, "How did they take my alleged attack on you?"

Glinda felt lightheaded. How could she explain to Elphaba that she was assigned to hold her off should she ever decide to continue her siege to the Emerald City? What would happen if Elphaba knew? Will it break their newly rebuilt friendship? Will she push her away? Will they ever see each other again?

"They…" she said, quickly thinking of a lie to save the bond she treasured the most, "They have me think of ways to, well, fight you off, hence the book."

"Oh?" Elphaba uttered, looking amused as she imagined the blonde buried in piles and piles of books.

"Yes," Glinda answered, smiling. She knew she should burn herself to the ground for blatantly lying to Elphaba. She had already lied to her boss, and now she was lying to her _best _friend. To the Wizard, she felt like she was merely telling a novel she was working on. To Elphaba, she felt that she should be beheaded under the crime of highest treason.

They stood staring at each other for a while.

"Now what?" Elphaba asked, shrugging.

"Now what what?" Glinda reiterated, feeling stupid.

Elphaba chuckled. "What happens now?" she asked, "Well, we've met, as was agreed. I don't know what happens after."

"Elphie." Glinda said, shuffling her feet tensely, "It's getting lonely at the castle and, well, I was… I was wondering…" _Come on, Glinda, say it! It's just Elphaba. There's no need to be so shy about it! _"Will you let me… um… Can I come visit you?"

Elphaba quirked an eyebrow. "Glinda," she started, "You do realize that can be a _serious _risk? You coming and going by bubble everyday to my hideout? And another thing, you are a famous icon, and I doubt that it's going to help you."

Glinda lowered her eyes, rubbing her bare arm at the sudden sensation of coldness. "I'll… I'll travel by bubble halfway, then… Then I'll walk for the rest of the journey, and I'll wear different clothes, and I'll—"

"Oh Glinda," Elphaba said sympathetically, bringing the blonde in her arms, "Is it really _that _lonely in there?"

Glinda nuzzled against her. She nodded, rubbing her face on the coarse black fabric.

They stayed like that for a while, until, finally, Elphaba stated, "All right. You can come visit me. Provided that you will do what you said, though."

Glinda pulled back, a wide smile spreading across her face. "Really?" she breathed, unable to believe Elphaba allowed her.

Elphaba returned the smile. "Really, Glinda," she answered, "Every night, if you want. I'll meet you on the foot of the hill of the Kiamo Ko castle."

"Kiamo Ko?" Glinda inquired, "Isn't that… Fiyero's castle?"

Elphaba pursed her lips. _Might as well_, she thought. "Fiyero works for us, Glinda," she admitted.

Glinda's eyes widened.

"You won't tell on him, will you?" Elphaba asked, though she knew that Glinda wouldn't do such a thing.

"No, no," Glinda answered immediately, shaking her head frantically, "I wouldn't do that, of course. I will never betray you, Elphie."

Elphaba actually smiled, cocking her head to one side. She lightly pressed Glinda's arms. "I know you won't. I know you _never _will."

They embraced each other again.

As Glinda buried her face on Elphaba's chest, she couldn't help but think: _I already did_.

* * *

**A/N: **… … …Yeah, so… yeah…


	4. Chapter 4: As Long As You're Mine

**A/N: **… Been a long while…Yes, well, am I the only one who thinks that Fiyero's lines in "As Long As You're Mine" fits Glinda well? … No? T_T

**Chapter Four: As Long As You're Mine**

* * *

"Captain Tiggular!" Glinda called, running after him.

Fiyero turned around.

"Fiyero," Glinda said upon reaching him, dropping her voice despite of their corridor being completely deserted save the two of them.

Fiyero knew that Glinda would only call him by his name if they were to talk about something personal. "Yes, Lady Glinda?" he asked, keeping his honor as a soldier by deigning to remain respectful.

"Drop the formalities, please," Glinda said, voice still lowered that Fiyero had to slightly lean in, "It's about Elphaba."

She finally captured his attention.

"What do you mean by that?" he asked, his eyebrow rising.

"I talked to her last night. I know you are not as faithful to the Wizard as I think you were," she answered simply. When Fiyero looked like he was going to collapse in panic, she added hastily, "And _no_, I'm not telling the Wizard. Elphaba's my best friend, and I'm not going to forfeit her plans. She's not going to lose you and the knowledge you can share with them."

Fiyero looked like he finally remembered how to breathe. "Glinda, you don't know how much that meant to me," he said, bowing his head in gratitude, "Thank you."

"You need to do something for me in return," Glinda said, seizing her chance.

"Anything," Fiyero said brightly, straightening himself.

"You've heard of the new commander of the seventh battalion, yes?" Glinda began.

Fiyero pondered for a moment. "Ah, yes," he said, "Wasn't it you? I was planning to tell Elphaba tomorrow—"

"Please," interjected Glinda, slightly confusing him, "Please don't _ever _tell her."

"Um… Why?" Fiyero inquired. He had been so anxious to tell Elphaba the huge news, only to be deterred by the subject of interest.

Glinda bit her lip and lowered her head. "I…"

A heavy silence had befallen them.

"I see," Fiyero finally said, "I understand."

He wondered if he said the right thing; he saw tears well in her eyes. He was even more confused when she launched herself at him, bringing him to a warm hug.

"Thank you," she said softly, "You don't know how much that meant to me."

* * *

Training civilians to learn the ways of the soldiers was _never _an easy task.

For one, the people she had were mainly built by family men, farmers, and shop owners. Elphaba was even lucky to find a retired military man to help her out.

She dismissed her "soldiers" early that day, knowing that she'll never get her head in the game when her heart was eagerly anticipating Glinda's arrival.

And so, as the sun finally disappeared from the heavens, Elphaba embarked on her broom and descended from her tower. On foot, the unnatural steepness of the rocky terrain would've caused anyone to tumble violently onto the earth once they slipped on a step.

She circled the grounds until she finally spotted a small figure sitting on a boulder.

She lowered herself on the uneven ground, shouldering her broom, feeling ridiculously happy to when her eyes met Glinda's cool blue ones. "And how long have you been waiting?" she asked. She definitely knew it when Glinda was bored.

"About half an hour, Elphie," Glinda responded as she stood up, yawning and stretching, "I've had a mind to get some food down Red Windmill, but I figured you might come when I leave."

Elphaba smiled and held out her green hand to the blonde. "Then let's get you over and we'll get you something to eat," she said.

Within several minutes, the two of them were sitting by Elphaba's tower, assorted fruits placed on a table before the two of them. Being in such height above the ground, cold bitter wind flowed through the stone room. Elphaba only had a single candle to light up the entire room.

"Sorry about the accommodations," Elphaba apologized as she sat across from Glinda, lowering a porcelain teapot on the rickety table, "I rarely go to this room, unless, of course, I forgot something, or I have to sleep."

Glinda glanced around the dingy gray room as she munched on a chilled apple. "Doesn't it get, you know, lonely in here?" she asked, thoroughly concerned.

Elphaba smiled softly as she leaned back on her seat. "At times," she admitted, "But there's so much to do in a day that I barely felt it."

Glinda felt a cold pang in her chest. "Oh Elphie…" she uttered, unsure of what to say.

"Oh think nothing of it," Elphaba replied, waving a hand at her languidly, "As long as I'm occupied, then I'm completely happy."

Glinda frowned slightly. "That's no way to be happy, Elphie, and you know it," she said, placing down her fruit, suddenly losing her appetite.

Elphaba shrugged it off. "I can't be completely happy until equality is returned to the Ozians," she said passionately, "Until that _fraud _is on the throne, I'll never stop."

"Even if it will kill you?" Glinda asked, clenching her hands.

"Even if it will kill me," Elphaba replied readily, holding her gaze with impassiveness.

"Even if it means you'll leave me alone?" Glinda tried again, her voice quivering.

Elphaba frowned, crossing her arms. "Glinda, what is this about?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

But Glinda had stood up and started pacing around the dimly lit room, much to Elphaba's great confusion. She didn't know what was wrong with her that she chose to remain seated and watch, waiting for a plausible explanation.

The blonde had a thousand thoughts running in her head. She didn't want Elphaba to risk her life. She didn't want her to face the prospect of death if she ever got caught. She didn't want to _fight _Elphaba should a fight commence in the Emerald City.

She'd been silent for so long that Elphaba finally stood up. "Glinda?" she asked hesitantly, "Glinda, what is going on?"

Glinda stopped in her tracks. "Stop this," she said firmly.

Elphaba blinked. "What?" she asked uncertainly, "Glinda, _what _are you talking about? Stop _what_?"

"_This_!" Glinda shouted exasperatedly, throwing her hands in the air in completely frustration and desperation. _Why can't Elphie understand? This is going to be the death of her! _"All of this! This _madness_, this crusade, this-this-this aimless—"

"Okay, now wait just a tick tock," Elphaba interrupted, holding her hand up in a gesture to stop her. She didn't know whether to feel dumbfounded or irritated at the blonde's sudden outburst. "Glinda, I don't know what this is all about, but you're not making any sense—"

"Oh Elphie, Ozdamn it- I want you to _stop _this revolution!"

A ringing silence resonated within the stone walls. The shrill howling of the wind was all that was heard.

And then it was Elphaba's turn to explode. "Is that why you came here?" she said in a low voice, her face starting to ease into a menacing frown, "Did he sent you? To _persuade _me to stop?"

Glinda's eyes widened a little. "Elphie, I would never—"

"Did you tell them where our headquarters are?" Elphaba continued, advancing slowly in a formidable anger, "Did you give them our names one by one to be executed?"

"I didn't—"

"When are they getting here?" Elphaba snapped, gritting her teeth, "How many are they? Were there people with you when you came here? Damn it, Glinda, _say something! _Anything! I don't want to believe that you're betraying me!"

Glinda bit her lips for a moment, and then the most unlikely thing had happened.

She launched herself on the green woman, wrapping her in a fierce embrace, and without thinking, pressed her lips against hers without another word. The two of them stumbled backwards, perplexed and overwhelmed.

_Oh Oz… What am I DOING? _Glinda thought as one of her hands traced Elphaba's firm jaw while keeping the two of them in a confused lip-lock in the middle of the dark room. _This isn't right! So not right! _

But she didn't push herself away, and nor did Elphaba, who was as shocked and confused as she was.

The longing she had felt at the interminable absence of Elphaba, the hours and the days she spent pondering of her fate out in the hostile world, the doubt and the frustration of keeping her safe while hiding a dire secret had all blinded her mind. She didn't even know why she suddenly lost control of her conscious self.

An intense heat had filled the both of them from every inch of their bodies. Against her better judgment, Elphaba had reciprocated the blonde's sudden advances. She even let her own hands place themselves on Glinda's petite waist. There was something unusual with the way they had connected. There was innocence and there was desire.

Only when Elphaba had collided with the table and sent the fruits rolling all over the floor did they break apart.

Immediately, Glinda turned away in mortification, feeling as if all the blood in her body had rushed to her face, dislodging the secure hands around her midriff. She put as much distance as she could with two long strides, wishing that she could undo her sudden frenzy.

"Uh… What just happened?" Elphaba began uncertainly after making the fruits float back onto the table. She was still a little hazy from the unexpected kiss.

Glinda shook her head, squeezing her eyes shut. "I don't know," she answered truthfully, "I'm sorry… I… I should go—"

"Glinda."

Elphaba had grabbed her arm. Glinda finally looked at her.

No hateful emotion was left in her eyes. In fact, they had softened so much that Glinda might as well be looking at the eyes of lost puppy.

"I'm sorry I forgot your promise," Elphaba said gently, closing the space between the two of them.

"What promise?" Glinda inquired, inching ever so slightly backwards, having no intentions of losing herself again with the green woman's close proximity.

"You've said that you'll never betray me," Elphaba replied, subconsciously tucking in a loose blonde curl behind Glinda's ear. She deftly felt the blonde shudder slightly at the contact.

"Elphie," Glinda began, "I'm really sorry for what had happened. I don't know what came over me…"

She looked so upset about it that Elphaba decided to say, "Tell you what, let's play a game."

At this, Glinda quirked an eyebrow, frowning. "I didn't know you like games," she said, but her interests were piqued anyway, "What game?"

"You've said that both of us are lonesome in our own ways," the green woman said, still refusing to release Glinda's arm, "Let's change that. We can pretend to be lovers."

"Wait…. _What_?" Glinda gasped, unsure if she had heard correctly.

"Oh come on, Glinda," Elphaba said, smirking slightly, "It's harmless. It's innocent. It's our little secret. With motivation, we can get a little better with our lives. And if that's not enough, we can always get away by having _distractions_, hence the game. Besides, I can't _really _get into a relationship because that will be risky. We can have something real though it's not really real—am I making sense?"

"Technically, no," Glinda answered matter-of-factly. "But… It doesn't sound so bad either…"

"There's a catch, though," Elphaba suddenly added.

"And that is?" Glinda pressed.

"We are never to fall in love," Elphaba said, recalling her self-made creed, "I mean, it's an odd type of love anyway. The first one who falls for the other loses. The consequence is that we'll never see each other again."

Glinda felt crestfallen. _Might as well kill myself tomorrow morning. And how is not falling for a woman like her even possible? _"That's a little harsh…"

"Better to keep that in mind than to risk getting into a dangerous affair," Elphaba replied resolutely.

Glinda wasn't expecting a hand languidly sliding on her skin to touch her at the most unlikely places. She blushed, but she didn't fight it off. "Elphie!" she squeaked, "What are you doing?"

Elphaba merely pressed her lips on the blonde's ear. She kissed it, making Glinda shiver, before whispering in a lidded voice, "Beginning the game."

That night, Glinda didn't come home to the Emerald City. She wasn't even present in the early morning meeting with her battalion, her supposedly first session with them.

She came back around noon, looking and feeling ever so pleased.

She didn't even bat an eye as Morrible severely reprimanded her. Her thoughts, her heart, her _soul_, had irresistibly lingered on the memory of the night that had come to pass.

_She's a twisted woman, Elphie is_, Glinda thought fondly, _Why do I get the feeling that I'll lose this childish play? The task of resisting thoughts of romance towards her seemed impossible to be done. This is a truly wicked game._

She hadn't even noticed that she began smiling like a dazed idiot.

Morrible didn't share the joy she was feeling. "Now _really!_," she blurted out, unable to stand the juvenile glazed look Glinda was doing, "What could you possibly find so amusing about discordant military formations?"

* * *

A week had passed by in a surprising speed.

Every night, Glinda would come to Kiamo Ko, and Elphaba will lock the both of them in her tower room. At times, they would just talk, about nothing and of everything. The rest of their secret meetings were spent on a wild and passionate way. Lost in a drunken lust, the intense pressures of the day were thrown into a blissful oblivion as they got lost in each other's arms in the shadows of the night. When dawn strikes, the two of them would separate, feeling empty and numb at the necessary separation.

Elphaba's army had been growing tremendously. Every day, new people would come to be enlisted. Training had became more stressful, and she was having a hell of a time trying to convince the young recruits to stay in the medical unit, being too young to be caught in a battle.

Glinda's dear secret of leading the Emerald City's defenses was still unknown to Elphaba. She did as much as oversee her battalion go through their military practices. She was essentially useless in training. Her only job was to review them of their tactical defense.

Fiyero had kept his promise to Glinda. He occasionally visited Kiamo Ko. He would still give them some insider's information, but the most crucial detail of Glinda leading a battalion had been left out.

However, he'd noticed that both Glinda and Elphaba seemed to be lighter moods compared to their usual ones. When he was at the Palace, he could see Glinda skipping in corridors, humming jovial tunes to herself. At Kiamo Ko, Elphaba seemed more lenient to headstrong recruits rather than scream their ears off. He was certain that the two had a connection, but he didn't bother to ask.

And so, their lives went on like this for another week. Secrets and desires clashed together. Anticipation and dread steadily grew as the impending war drew nearer.

One night, in the darkness, as Glinda and Elphaba lay bare underneath the tattered covers, Elphaba suddenly said, "Glinda, I think I'm losing."

"Hm?" Glinda hummed lazily, eyes closed, fatigued at their recent escapade.

Elphaba smirked, slowly running her green hand up and down the blonde's porcelain arm. "This wicked game," she said, "I think I'm losing it…."

Glinda turned around to face her, her drowsiness fading fast. "What do you mean by that?" she asked uncertainly.

Elphaba pressed a gentle kiss on her temple before whispering back, "I think I'm a little in love with you, my sweet…"

Glinda's eyes widened a bit. "Elphie!" she exclaimed, sitting up upright so suddenly that she dislodged the green woman's arms all around her. She deftly brought up the blanket to her chest to get herself some modesty. Elphaba, propped herself up, raising an eyebrow questioningly. "Does this mean we'll never see each other again?"

"Well…" Elphaba said bashfully, "I might've lied a little…"

"But," Glinda said, relieved, but she felt slightly worried at where their relationship was going, "You said it was risky."

Elphaba had sat up to, taking Glinda's hand in hers. "I don't care," she deadpans, "As long as you're mine, I'm unlimited. _We're_ unlimited."

"Oh Elphie…" Glinda uttered, feeling a strange warmth encase her heart.

Within several minutes, they were lying in each other's arms, easing their way to sleep after another wild encounter.

Glinda couldn't help but feel contented. If she were to die at that very moment, she would be ready. Despite of being worlds apart in a land torn by war, they still found solace in each other.

_This kind of life isn't so bad_, she thought, smiling as she nuzzled her nose on Elphaba's neck, _Besides, what could possibly go wrong?_

* * *

**A/N: **And lo and behold, spoilers spoilers, Glinda had just jinxed them.

Sorry about being too late with this…. College craziness kicking in XD


	5. Chapter 5: First Blood

**A/N: **Hmmm… Inspirations coming and going everywhere….

* * *

**Chapter Five: First Blood**

"She's been quiet."

The Wizard sat musing on his throne as Morrible paced before him, hands behind her back, also lost in deep thought.

Elphaba had not led any attacks ever since the one in Settica. The one wherein Glinda was involved.

"I assume she's been recruiting," Morrible summed up, "What else could cause this long pause? She's been strengthening her forces to match that of ours."

"Does she know that Glinda was the head of the Seventh Battalion?" the Wizard asked, pinching the bridge of his nose hard, "That sort of information had been kept a secret."

"Not that I'm aware of, your Ozness," Morrible replied. Then she stopped and turned to look at him, suddenly remembering something, "Which reminds me. The latest news regarding the uprising was that our cartridges up North had been compromised. Half the stocks were stolen, and the rest were burned. All the guards stationed were dead. The information had been shushed to the public."

The Wizard slammed his fist on the wood, emitting a low echoing thud across the empty throne room. "No one but the Ozian guards knew where it was! How did they discover the storage area?"

"There's more," Morrible said, "Under investigations, there was no forced entry upon the mines. The lock, as they had discovered, had been _unlocked _by a key."

"Which means?" the Wizard snapped.

"One of our own has been fraternizing with the enemy," Morrible concluded, inwardly rolling her eyes at the Wizard's slowness in taking in things.

The Wizard glared, his nose flaring. "Only one man had been entrusted the keys of the Northern Storage," he growled.

* * *

"You _what_?" Elphaba bellowed.

Boq cringed, taking minuscule steps backwards. "We're sorry, Elphaba," he apologized in a small voice, "It's just… We got carried away with the burning that we forgot—"

"Forgot the most crucial part of the assignment?" Elphaba boomed out as she crossed her arms, her brows knitting together in total frustration, "Boq, I gave you _clear _instructions! Fiyero's keys will give us complete access to the facility, you kill everyone in there, you steal half the bullet supplies, and you burn down the storage _after _you destroyed the locks to make it look as though we were breaking and entering!"

Boq's shoulders tensed. "That part we missed…" he admitted, continuing to retreat insidiously, "I'm really, really, _really _sorry, Elphaba."

He fell on his knees before her, lowering his head.

"I'm terribly sorry for compromising the resistance," he said in a low voice, "You can kill me now if you wish it."

"I'm not doing such a thing, Boq, don't be ridiculous," Elphaba snapped, "Just… Just get down there and man the recruits, will you?"

Boq nodded, and he sprang up and ran pell-mell out of the door.

Elphaba, meanwhile, had collapsed on the bed, shaking form head to foot.

She hadn't thought much about Fiyero (mainly due to her unreasonable infatuation with Glinda), but if he was discovered because of Boq's little slip up, she didn't know what she'll do. She felt deeply guilty in many ways. Fiyero had obviously shown interests in her, but she had closed herself from his advances. She saw him nothing more but an ally.

She compared her relationship with Glinda and the what-might-have-been one with Fiyero. It was making her extremely uncomfortable. What did Glinda have that Fiyero didn't? She never knew Fiyero personally than she had done with Glinda, so she guess she will never ever know.

With her broom, she fetched Glinda from the foot of the castle to her room about an hour later.

"What is it, Elphie?" Glinda asked, sitting down on the bed. She could always sense if her lover was in distress.

As usual, they never bothered to light a single candle. The natural rays of the moon would suffice. Elphaba sat next to her, eyes glazed.

"I'm worried about Fiyero," she said sadly.

Glinda can't help but frown, feeling an unpleasant twisting sensation in her gut. "What about him?" she asked.

Elphaba didn't miss the accusatory sting in her voice. She turned slightly to meet her eyes, letting out a small smile. "Someone's jealous," she said, loving how Glinda could distract her at the most unlikely time.

"I'm not," Glinda huffed, proving otherwise.

Elphaba smirked this time, pulling the both of them to lie down. She brought the blonde in her arms, resting her chin on Glinda's head.

"You have nothing to worry about, my sweet," she assured her, absentmindedly combing plowing her fingers through Glinda's curls, "It's nothing _romantic_, if that's what you're thinking. I'm worried about his safety in the Palace."

"And why is that?" Glinda slurred, beginning to feel hazy in their close proximity with each other. With her head on Elphaba's chest, she could hear the steady beating of her heart. The placid rhythm was enough to lull her to sleep.

Elphaba had told her the errors of her troops, and Fiyero's possible imprisonment. With every word, Glinda was being pulled back to full consciousness. Her feelings for Fiyero might have dissipated, but it was still a terrible blow. Fiyero had kept her relationship with Elphaba afloat, and she her life was in his debt for that.

"That's… That's horrible!" Glinda choked, sitting up and looking down on Elphaba, "The Wizard wouldn't be so lenient about that!"

"I know," Elphaba agreed, nodding her head as she remained on her position on the bed, "That's why I'll be needing your help, my sweet."

"Anything, Elphie," Glinda said, lowering herself down beside Elphaba, propping her weight on her elbows. She was ever so tempted to kiss her again. Their faces were so close that they were literally exchanging breaths.

"Could you help Fiyero out of this one?" Elphaba said, looking deep into her eyes, "I don't want him to get in trouble because of being in the resistance."

Glinda leaned down and kissed her in response. Elphaba sighed and gave in anyway. They stayed glued for a while, their hands roaming in unspeakable areas. Tonight, however, with a heavy problem in their midst, they had the sense to stay clothed.

"I won't let anything happen to him," Glinda said tenderly. She was hovering mere inches above Elphaba, caressing her fine jaw. They kissed each other again, "I promise."

* * *

Glinda reported next morning to the throne room.

She barged in unnoticed because the Wizard and Morrible were discussing heatedly.

"Oh Glinda," the Wizard said impassively, still breathing too hard, "How nice of you to join us. We have an important issue at hand."

"A traitor had been found among us," Morrible continued, "And by Lurline, it was the Captain of the Ozian Guard."

Glinda fidgeted uneasily on her seat next to the throne. She needed to find a way, a _miracle _to save Fiyero's life. "How did this happen?" she inquiring, trying with all her might to look aghast at the news.

She didn't need to hear the Munchkin's epic failure. All the while the Wizard and Morrible explained to her, she ravaged her mind on ways to persuade the two of them otherwise. She reminded herself that she was doing this to save Fiyero, and, of course, to keep her promise with Elphaba.

"Perhaps, your Ozness," she began, sitting unnaturally straight, "Captain Tiggular had been framed. Maybe, um, his keys were stolen or something—"

To her shock and annoyance, the Wizard started _laughing. _"Oh my dear," he said, fighting to keep himself calm, "No wonder they've bestowed you the name 'Glinda the Good'. You're taking your name too literally. Captain Fiyero Tiggular had been found guilty by the council. Further evidences were submitted, involving his periodic absences."

_Oh Oz,_ Glinda thought, starting to panic, _This is not going well_.

"Where is he now?" she asked aloud.

"Locked up in Southstairs," Morrible said pompously, "He wouldn't have to endure the stench in there for long. By sunrise tomorrow, he'll be hanged for his crimes."

Glinda felt her heart disappear. "Hanged…?" she uttered. She was starting to feel lightheaded that she clutched her armrests for support. "But… But…"

"I know he'd been a dear friend to you, Glinda," the Wizard said consolingly, "But laws must be implemented. We need to be an example to the Ozians. We keep them loose, and the balance will collapse. These are the sacrifices of a leader, my dear."

Glinda could already see a body hanging by the gallows, swinging ominously at the rising sun, with people crowding around the platform, throwing insults at the immobile corpse.

"Can I at least see him?"

* * *

"Oh my Oz… Fiyero?"

Glinda knelt on the grimy, sour smelling stone floor of a dimly lit corridor in Southstairs. She even clutched the slimy, damp bars of the cramped cell before her, squinting to see the broken figure at the dark corner.

She had a hell of a time convincing her escorts to give her some private time with the disgraced captain, but with the two of them out of the way, she was sure their conversation could be a little lax.

"Glinda…?" Fiyero croaked in an extremely hoarse voice that it was frightening Glinda slightly.

She cringed when she saw him crawling into the light. He was literally clawing on the ground to bring himself up to her. He was a _bloody _mess. His hair was wildly disheveled, his face was bruised, and one of his eyes were swollen and shaded with deep blue. A thin scarlet line ran down his lips, and his nose was a floodgate to the torrent of blood.

She can't help but cry as he finally reached the bars. He grasped the metal, trying to look up. "What had they done to you?" she asked, feeling the first of the tears trickle down her chin.

Fiyero gave her a weak smile, wincing several times. "Torture… Interrogation… Well, whatever they call justice nowadays," he answered with difficulty, his throat making guttural sounds, "Have you heard of tomorrow's event?"

Glinda nodded, pressing her lips together. "I'm sorry, Fiyero," she said despairingly, "I'm sorry I couldn't save you—I'm not even sure if I'm trying! I'm _so _sorry!"

"Shh…" Fiyero could, his bruised and bloody hand moving to touch hers, "None of it was your fault, Glinda… I know you're trying, and I thank you for that… But you can't stop something that's unstoppable… I am to die and we can't do anything about it—"

"Don't say that," Glinda said, feeling wary of the cold hand above hers, "You were only trying to help Oz become a better place. You should be a hero."

Fiyero grinned. "Elphaba's the hero in this story," he said, "I am merely a period in a well-written paragraph."

Glinda felt her crying intensify. She had failed to keep her promise to Elphaba _twice _now. She was living a double life in the confines of the Palace, and now she was failing to save a dear friend.

Fiyero noticed the renewed rush of tears. "Glinda," he called gently, making her look at him, "I know how much she meant to you. But… Could you do me one last favor?"

Glinda shuddered at his words, but she nodded all the same, bringing her other hand over Fiyero's.

Fiyero strained to get something out of his pocket. He brought it up to be seen in the poor light provided by a single torch.

Glinda saw that it was a tiny hand knitted doll. It was small enough that it was easy to conceal in one's palm. It was obviously Elphaba, with Fiyero using green cotton and all. She was wearing her dark blue Shiz apparel. Fiyero even took time to sew tiny glasses around the beaded eyes.

"Could you give this to her?" Fiyero said, fondly looking at his handiwork, "I never managed to show it to Elphaba. I was afraid that she'll reject it or something. It's always been her… I've always loved her…"

"Oh Fiyero…" Glinda uttered, reverently, taking the miniature Elphaba in her own hands.

She felt guilty. She felt _responsible _for his misery. Fiyero never got the chance to get closer to Elphaba. It must've been killing him whenever he would report to her and she would bypass his advances for his information.

"I swear she'll receive it," she said, determined to fulfill at least this one wish, this _dying _wish of a man scorned and deprived of experiencing love, "I _swear _it, Fiyero."

Fiyero smiled. "Then let this be our last goodbye, Miss Glinda," he said, inclining his head in respect.

Pocketing the doll, Glinda reached both of her hands through the bars and gently placed his hands on either side of his marred face. She leaned forward and pressed a gentle kiss on his damp forehead. There wasn't a spark. Neither of them felt infatuation, but both of them experienced a palpable sadness of loss.

* * *

Glinda didn't come to Kiamo Ko that night. She didn't even sleep.

A quarter of her brain was worried of keeping Elphaba waiting for her nonexistent arrival, and the rest on the vision of Fiyero being hanged by dawn.

There was so much Fiyero never got to do. With him gone from the resistance, Elphaba's group will be suffering loss of crucial information from the palace walls. And, the most brutal one of all, he never managed to proclaim his feelings for Elphaba.

She was thoroughly exhausted that she collapsed on her table sometime past midnight.

She woke up, panicking, five hours later, sprinting to the courtyard of the Palace.

Stands were already set up for the public viewing of the execution. The seats were full. The Wizard was already in his box with Morrible. To her horror, she saw that a rope was already being fixed around Fiyero's neck.

Fiyero looked incredibly worn out. He was paler than Glinda had ever seen him in a lifetime. He even looked set with his own fate, proudly staring defiantly at the Wizard and seemingly oblivious to the danger wrapped around his neck.

Glinda flew over to the box, not caring if she looked like she was pulled from the grave.

"Oh Glinda," the Wizard said happily, "Well Oz, what happened to you? I thought you were going to miss the show. However, you did miss the dreary speeches—"

"Your Ozness, _please _let him go," Glinda pleaded desperately, falling on her knees before him, grasping the hem of his great coat, "Please, sir,_ please_. He's a good man. Send him to exile if you must, but _please_, spare his life…"

The Wizard's smile faltered into nothingness as he stared at Glinda with a confused look.

"Fiyero Tiggular was pronounced guilty and was sentenced to death," Morrible snapped impatiently, shifting slightly in her seat, ever so anxious to watch a hanging take place, "My dear, I know you two had history, but really, he's an enemy of Oz! He has to be deprived of mercy!"

Glinda sank lower onto the ground, tugging on the Wizard's coat like it was a lifeline. "Please, sir," she begged, tears shamelessly cascading onto the ground, "Mercy!"

"Your Ozness, the crowd is getting restless," Morrible impended, unfazed by the drama taking place beside her.

The Wizard glanced at the anticipating crowd. He looked at the face of the man brought to be condemned before him. He looked down on the weeping girl at his feet…

Glinda released him when he rose from his seat, looking up at him with watery eyes.

The crowd hushed. The executioner stood ready near the lever, ready to pull it down. Fiyero, standing tall, proud, and broken, stared at him with courage.

The Wizard announced his judgment.

* * *

Glinda staggered to the foot of the Kiamo Ko castle. Her eyes hadn't been dry every since Oz-knows-when.

The night wind howled, the moon was obscured by thick masses of clouds, the stars refuse to shine, and Glinda was freezing to death in her flimsy cloak. But she was already frozen with such a great loss.

Fiyero was dead.

And she was there. She was watching. She watched him twist violently until his life left him. She watched the light in his eyes fade away and die completely. She watched him gasp for breath that will never come. And when the horrible deed was done, she watched him hang there and be stabbed repeatedly by the soldiers to assure his demise. And she watched, helplessly, as they dragged the bloody carcass away amidst the cheers of the bloodthirsty crowd.

She wept and howled in her office all day, refusing to be consoled or be seen. She missed another meeting with her battalion. She didn't care.

She failed Elphaba. She lost a friend.

As the day dies, she changed her rumpled clothing and flew to the Vinkus, wanting nothing more than to be in the arms of her beloved Elphaba.

But she had been there for about an hour.

She was thinking of flying there by bubble to see what was happening when—

"Look who finally decided to show up."

Glinda whirled around, relief flooding her as she saw Elphaba's towering figure standing mere feet behind her. "Oh Elphie…" she said, attempting to stop her eyes from spilling so much tears. She approached her green lover, halting on her tracks in a little while when she saw that Elphaba was _glaring _at her. "What… What's wrong?"

_Slap!_

Glinda felt her head twist at the force of a strong hand colliding against her tear stained cheek. Staggering backwards, she placed a hand on the stinging area, looking at Elphaba with heartbroken eyes.

"What- ?"

"How _dare _you go back here?!" Elphaba bellowed in a terrible voice, looking like a hungry demon unlike the gentle soul she was.

Glinda felt tears dominate her eyes again. "Why? What have I-?"

"_Shut up!_" Elphaba shouted menacingly, bringing down her hand again against Glinda's face. She didn't even care when the blonde yelped and fell on the ground, nor did she blink when the girl released an a pained sob, "Shut up… Not another _filthy, lying _word!"

"Elphie—"

"DON'T call me that-!"

"_What have I done?!_" Glinda screamed before she could help it, still nursing her burning cheek, sobbing completely, "What have I done to make you do this?"

Elphaba let out a harsh laugh. It was scaring Glinda that she inched a little farther.

"You got away with everything by playing the _idiot_, hm?" Elphaba snapped without much concern at the fallen girl, "Played it well, did you? Played with my heart, my emotions, my _life_ or whatever that was left of it!"

Glinda was shaking her head vigorously. "I don't—I don't understand—"

"I guess you might've slipped it off your stupid little head," Elphaba said, raising her voice and refusing to be deterred, "You _might've _slipped that you were leading the security of the Emerald City."

Glinda blanched, no longer feeling the searing pain of her face. "How did you—"

"Maybe it was a good thing you didn't come last night," the green girl growled, advancing forward, "You were probably dealing with our _problem_, and I sent Boq to see if Fiyero did manage to see another sun rise and set! He came back with the news of his _death_!"

Glinda didn't know what to say, so she said nothing, letting her eyes release all the sadness taking over her.

"And you know what else Boq found out, my _sweet_?," Elphaba hissed, kneeling so that they were in level, staring deep into Glinda's red eyes. She said the last word like it was a curse, and the sting was tearing Glinda apart.

She roughly grabbed Glinda's jaw, forcing her to look at her dead in the eye.

"You're… You're hurting me, El—"

"_You _didn't tell me about the _head _of the Emerald City Defense!"

Glinda cried audibly now, unable to hold in her depression. "I'm so—"

"_Shut up, you little bitch!_" Elphaba screamed into the night, hitting Glinda again before heftily throwing her away.

Glinda let herself roll on the rocky earth for all she was worth. She looked up at Elphaba with sad eyes, realizing that she had singlehandedly ruined their golden relationship.

Elphaba had turned around. "Don't you dare, don't you _ever _dare to come here again…" she growled, her voice quivering, "If you do, I'll never hesitate to _kill _you."

And with that, Elphaba summoned her broom, and without even looking back on Glinda's crumpled form, kicked off from the ground, and shot into the sky.

Hurt and left for dead, Glinda reached within her pocket to feel Fiyero's little doll, deeply wishing that its live counterpoint would have the heart to take her back someday.

Maybe not tonight, not tomorrow, or not in this lifetime…

She didn't care. Elphaba will forgive her one day. And she'll wait for it till then.

* * *

**A/N: **… So? …


	6. Chapter 6: Without You

**A/N: **Okay… Thinking of a song from RENT here. It's called "Without You" (if the title isn't obvious enough)

"_Without you, the hand gropes. The ear hears. The pulse beats. Life goes on when I'm gone, cause I'd die without you…"_

Basically, this chap is a series of one-shots on how Glinda and Elphie go through their lives.

Oh LOL Too much Idina Menzel feels… The End Is Near :D

* * *

**Chapter Six: Without You**

"And just _what _are you doing here?"

"Good to see you too, Nessa."

The Thropp sisters stood on either side of the room, glaring at each other. Nessarose, in her wheelchair, crossed her arms as she stared at her verdant sister, as if blaming her unfortunate existence in her life.

"If you were going to have an appointment," Nessa said with authority, "You could've at least talked to my secretary rather than burst into the window and barge in—"

"Nessa, let's cut the shit, shall we?" Elphaba snapped, slamming her palms with a resolute thud on the mahogany table before her, "Don't pretend that you were having a good time under the Wizard's reign."

"What do you want?" Nessarose demanded, slightly taken aback by her sister's notorious impatience.

"Nessa, dear, isn't it obvious?" Elphaba groaned, rolling her eyes, "I want you and all of Munchkinland by my side!"

Nessarose's eyes widened.

Elphaba continued, imposing her height as she straightened herself. "The tribes of Vinkus stand by me, so are the citizens of the towns of the Quadling Country!" she shouted aloud, trying to wedge the truth to her sister's ears, "The Wizard will fall, and so will the tyranny. Now I ask you, Nessa: Are you on my side or not?"

Nessarose bit her lip and wheeled closer to her. "Elphaba," she started, meeting the eyes that were so much like hers, "You've been there for me for as long as I can remember. No matter how much you wanted to start your own life, you never left me, and I—"

"Skip the drama, _please_," Elphaba droned, inwardly smirking at how uncharacteristically mushy her sister was becoming.

Nessarose looked slightly affronted to be interrupted, but she soldiered on, clearing her throat and sitting up straight on her wheelchair. "It's time I repay my debt," she said proudly, "Yes, Elphaba, you have my support, and so does the whole of Munchkinland."

Slowly, Elphaba revealed her smile. "You know, Nessa," she said, kneeling in front of the throne-like wheelchair, "You don't know how much you've made me happy."

Nessa smirked pompously. "Consider it the first and _last_ time I'll make you feel that way," she said, opening her arms wide.

It was the first time in many years that Elphaba felt that the embrace she shared with Nessarose was _real_.

* * *

"Glinda, my dear, _honestly_!"

Morrible, Glinda, and the Wizard were having their lunch by the military grounds, overseeing their vast, uniformed army practice firing and fighting each other by sword and spear. Glinda hadn't touched her food, nor did she do anything rather than gaze absentmindedly before her.

Morrible wasn't altogether pleased with her _bothersome_ lethargy. "I know you found Tiggular deeply attractive when you were both in school, but _really_! This is getting ridiculous! It's been three days!" she snapped.

_Three days since I died, you mean_, Glinda thought ruefully, eyes still glazed.

The Wizard had been overly worried with her ever since Fiyero's death. He felt _slightly _guilty that he had contributed greatly to her near-catatonic state. He'd been told by Glinda's assistants that she would spend her day crying endlessly in her room, refusing to eat, refusing to go out, refusing to even sleep and rest her sore eyes.

"Perhaps she's tired for today," he said, easing back on his chair, looking over at her, "You are excused, Glinda. Get some rest."

Glinda stood up so fast that she nearly knocked the tea tray, causing Morrible to glare pointedly at her. She didn't care. She sped from the hall and into a deserted corridor. Feeling lightheaded with the undeniable lack of sleep, she let herself lean against a marble pillar for support.

She reached down on her pocket and grasped the doll… A hand-made doll that had meant so much more than balls of cotton sewn together…

_Fiyero_, Glinda thought sadly, _Looks like it'll be a long while before I fulfill my promise to you. Forgive me._

She felt like sobbing again. She was furious with herself! Ever since his death and Elphaba's heartbreaking rejection, she was like a bomb ready to go off any minute, ready to release torrents and gallons of tears, ready to cry for the things her own stupidity and vainness had caused.

She slowly slid onto the marble floor, squeezing her eyes shut, wishing and wanting, _yearning_, to be back in Elphaba's arms, to be lost into a world that could save her from her imperfect one.

* * *

Elphaba was on her way to the kitchens of the Kiamo Ko Castle to sneak some food out for herself when she came across Boq and Milla, a girl he'd been courting since the day she arrived to enlist herself.

"Oh, um…" he uttered unintelligently, feeling abashed to be caught in such an intimate moment, "Good day, Elphaba…"

"See you in a while," Milla said to Boq before turning to nod at Elphaba and leaving for good.

"You'll only hurt yourself, you know?" Elphaba couldn't help but snap bitterly at him, folding her arms.

She too had once been caught in a breathlessly delighting moment in the arms of another girl. She too felt like one kiss could solve everything, make her _forget _everything. She once believed that loving another person will be all that she needed to fulfill in her life.

"Um… What?" Boq inquired uncertainly, twirling his cap in his fumbling hands.

"You'll get back to reality soon," she said, sounding tired, "It's all an illusion. Save yourself before you could get hurt."

And then she strode away, leaving the Munchkin thoroughly confused.

* * *

Glinda made a slow progress back to her room, colliding with more than once on the walls as she swayed on her feet.

On a corner of her corridor, she could hear excited hushed voices. She peeked discreetly and found a guard and a housemaid flirting near her door.

"I can bring down the moon for you, my lovely, you know?" said the uniformed guard, passionately stroking the maid's hands with his gloved ones.

"This will get us into trouble, love," said the girl, but she was turning red all the same.

"I don't care…" the guard said, leaning ever so closely, "As long as you're mine…"

Glinda drew back, a sharp new wound stabbing her right in the heart. Her breathing failed her, and she grasped the doll in her pocket, shakily bringing it before her eyes.

She'd been looking at it for hours and hours, and she almost memorized the thing in detail. With her hands trembling so hard, she pressed Elphaba's tiny model against her lips

"You were never mine to lose…"

* * *

The end was near.

Elphaba could feel it along with the painful hole Glinda marred in her heart.

One night, she was with Boq, Nessarose, and the leaders of her soldiers gathered in the large dining hall of Fiyero's castle.

They were ready. They've grown into a size than can match that of the Wizard's army. They have their weapons. They've had a month of preparation. Her troops were eager for blood. _She _was eager for blood, for _revenge_, for _retaliation_.

The only imperfection they could see in the attack was Glinda. They've known her to be a sorceress, and they didn't know what she had in her sleeve. Elphaba was the one who assured them all that _she herself _will deal with the problem.

Her aimless devotion to Glinda had completely faded. In its place was a mad desire—_obsession_— to hurt Glinda, to make her feel pain, to make her suffer, to make her feel sorry that she was ever born, sorry that they've ever met. She wanted Glinda to be damned completely for toying with her and her fragile feelings. Oz, her thoughts even went so far as she imagined Glinda lying _dead _on the ground.

With a voice full of clarity, Elphaba announced to them all with firm resoluteness and certainty, "Tomorrow, Emerald city shall fall."

Amidst the almighty roar of her comrades, Elphaba couldn't help but think savagely, _As the city falls, so will you, Glinda… So will you…_

* * *

Glinda sat by her window, watching the sun lazily float up into the sky to signal the coming of a new day.

Another restless night. Her eyes were protesting, her brain was aching, and her heart was beating so slow it might as well stop.

In fact, she _wanted _to die, to die and finally end her misery.

She was about to nod off when there was a frantic hammering at her door.

"Who is it?" she called over her shoulder, her eyes closing of its own accord, "I don't want to be disturbed right now, _please_."

"But Lady Glinda!" her secretary squealed from the other side, her voice a little muffled through the wood, "It's urgent!"

"If it's not a life and death matter, leave me be!" Glinda retorted, trying to make her way to the velvet divan to finally get some shut eye.

"My lady," the other girl squeaked, "A vast army is approaching the city! We're under attack!"

And that was all that was needed to wake Glinda.

_This can't be happening_, she thought, feeling weak in the knees in an instant, _She's really going to do it… She's attacking the city… I'll be left with no choice but to—_

There was a deafening explosion, and its magnitude even rattled the mighty walls of the Palace, briefly throwing Glinda off her balance.

Glinda ran over to the window, feeling more and more hopeless.

The city's proud iron gates had been shattered into rubble. A mighty war cry from hundreds and hundreds of men rang in thousands of echoes.

High above the makeshift army, a looming specter donned in black was suspended in midair through the means of an old broom. There was no mistaking it, Glinda thought.

Elphaba had finally come to destroy the Wizard.

* * *

**A/N: **Team Elphie or Team Glinda?

Yes, well, this was the shortest and the most confusing one of all… Wars and wars and wars…


	7. Chapter 7: Battle At The Emerald City

**A/N: **If things go well in here, I can finish things within two chaps… But I wouldn't push it T_T

* * *

**Chapter Seven: The Battle at the Emerald City**

Glinda quickly rallied her battalion along with many others.

She didn't like the idea of forcibly fighting Elphaba _at all_, but she figured that the innocent citizens of the city will suffer if she didn't do anything about it. And besides, it was her duty. Once again, she will be attempting to save something, and she feared that it will probably cost her life.

She hurriedly donned an armor too since the Wizard had thought that it was necessary. It was a light breastplate, enough to fend off arrows from a long shot. She didn't relish at the thought of wearing breeches either. To her, they were like long undergarments, but she needed them for her shin guards. She didn't want to wear it anyway, but they wouldn't let her go out unless she'd done so. She'd rather face Elphaba with just the way she was.

The first of the troops had been dispatched. A quarter of the city already reeked of blood and fire. The air was polluted with viscous ebony clouds from the burning houses. Screams echoed everywhere along with gunfires and the clashes of swords.

The citizens who were near the Palace rushed discordantly in the gates. Glinda led the operation there since her last resort was to keep the Palace safe since it now hosts not only Elphaba's target, but also lives of countless men, women and children who depended their safety in the hands of Glinda the Good.

* * *

Elphaba led the throng, her broom in one hand while the other wildly casted deadly curses and hexes at the oncoming soldiers. She had lost so much men already, and the fact intensified her anger further. Nessarose, carrying a double-barreled musket, wheeled next to her in an iron chair, and Boq courageously led the archers.

Elphaba had been wearing a special armor made in shining black stones along with sleek black breeches, which were much more convenient than wearing a dress in a battle. She kept her cape, though. She carried a sling bag by her side, which carried the Grimmerie, and, for some unknown reason, the _hat_. She didn't wear it on her head, though. She didn't even know why she packed it too. She figured that she had only done such a thing so she could burn it right before the eyes of the giver.

After a little while, with waves of Ozian soldiers attacking them from various sides, Nessarose had volunteered to divide half of their army to fight off the others.

"I'll meet you at the castle gates!" Nessa shouted over her shoulder as she wheeled off to the other direction after her half of the men.

"Be safe, Nessa!" Elphaba added, taking time to jog over to her sister's side to grasp her hand.

Nessarose smiled softly up at her, returning the comforting gesture. "I want you to stay safe too, my dear Elphaba," she said loudly over the din of gunfire and clashing of metal, "Tonight, we'll feast in the halls of the Palace."

Elphaba watch her maneuver her chair to the other street before rushing over to help the Vinkus tribesmen. Her attacks were mostly ranged, having no need for hand to hand combat. However, she received her first wound when a bullet clipped her shoulder. It was painful, no doubt, but it wasn't enough to weigh her down.

"Elphaba!" Boq suddenly called.

She'd been busy fending off spearmen that it took her a while to turn and entertain Boq with his callings.

The Munchkin looked appalled at something. Utterly speechless, he pointed a gloved finger to the morning sky. She turned, and felt her lungs lose necessary air to breathe: the Wizard was _fleeing _in his multicolored balloon.

"NO!" she screamed.

Yanking her wooden broom from her back, she shot upward, narrowing her eyes at the forceful rush of wind.

_You won't get away… I WON'T let you get away…_

* * *

Standing nearby the gates of the Palace, Glinda watched silently as the Wizard flew to safety. She knew he was returning to where he came from, wherever that was. She didn't care at all.

All her other thoughts were entirely immersed at the inevitable prospect of her fight to the death against Elphaba. She didn't like it. The idea was weakening her body. The wand in her hand felt nothing more than a toy meant to maim a hole on the ground.

Her hands were trembling. She felt uncomfortable heated sweats run down her face. She was vaguely aware of herself breathing. The deafening beating of her heart dominated all her other sounds. Her eyes saw nothing more but smoke in the horizon. The air was polluted with gunpowder and the sickening stench of dying men.

"She's getting closer."

Glinda started, snapping her head to her left. She didn't even realize that Morrible had stood by her side.

When Glinda looked puzzled, Morrible rolled her eyes and mutely directed her finger skyward. Glinda saw a black speck speeding after the Wizard's balloon. Her stomach clenched unpleasantly upon the realization that it was Elphaba.

"I might not like the Wizard," Morrible began, starting to make curious waving patterns with her arms, "But I can't miss opportunity when it strikes."

There was a crisp crunching sound, and Glinda's jaw dropped at the sight of a one-story house being wrenched from the ground by a massive invisible force. It rocketed to the heavens.

Glinda blanched when she saw that it was directed at Elphaba.

* * *

Despite the rage and panic at the coward's attempt to save his sorry ass, Elphaba's handy peripheral vision didn't miss the massive black mass trained at her.

She looked down and felt her eyes widen when she saw that it was a _flying house_.

She swerved wildly. The house had an undeniably humongous girth. It completely veered her off-course. But she safely avoided it. The flying abomination sailed harmlessly by her, and was now descending in an accelerating speed back onto the earth.

At her height above the Emerald City, with the help of the blazing sun making its way into the sky, she could see the glint of Nessa's metallic chair… She could see that the house was falling towards _her_.

She turned her broom downward, ready to dive in to save Nessa, only to be deterred when she remembered that the Wizard was escaping as well.

And so, she remained suspended in midair, torn between the victory of the Wizard's death, and the loss of Nessa's demise.

She reasoned out that Nessa couldn't be that blind. She would _see _the house coming…

_Yeah… Nessa's not that numb… She can save herself… She can save herself…_

And so sped after the Wizard several seconds later. She raised her hand, carefully aiming at the balloon, running her spells in her head, searching for the perfect one to inflict the most serious damage. It will seal her triumph. He will fall, like the house meant to kill her. He wouldn't be mourned. He will never be buried. His body will be burned, his reign will finally end—

There was an ear-shattering crash.

She halted her broom, almost throwing herself from it due to her lack of grip. She looked down, and she felt her insides turn into numbing ice.

At the aftermath of the crash, there were many bodies surrounding the site… She did not see the singularity of her sister's chair.

Helplessly, her heart wrenching into two, her looked alternately at the retreating balloon and the mass of splinters below.

Never in all her years did she felt closer to Nessa than now. If she were to lose Nessa today, what is victory compared to loss?

She remembered the way their hands lingered moments before, asking each other to be safe. In the week they've been together, planning their siege to the city, they've spent more bonding time than they did when they were younger. They've laughed at the most unlikely topics, they smiled at nothing, they ate together, they even sleep at each other's rooms from time to time after long talks.

Heart spent emotionally, Elphaba zoomed to the ground.

Within mere seconds, she was skidding into a halt on the cobbled ground.

The venue was surrounded by myriads of splinters and shattered glass. Unconscious soldiers from both side of the battle littered the area. Several men were stirring, groaning and moaning pleas of help.

Elphaba slung her broom to her back again, fervently scanning the crash site for signs of her beloved sister. She fought down a sob, struggling to maintain it in her throat. She will not cry. She will not show signs of weakness.

"Elpha… Elphaba…"

She spun on the spot.

Leaning against a battered wall of the wooden house was the almost-unconscious body of Boq. The side of his head was bathed in shining blood, and on his stomach, much to Elphaba's rising horror, a jagged glass was poking out.

"BOQ!"

She hurried to his side. Boq's eyes were opening and closing. His lips were parted to let in seemingly nonexistent air. He didn't want to move much due to the unwanted foreign object impaled on his midriff.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba… Forgive me…"

"Shh, Boq," she shushed. She didn't know what to do. Her eyes were already brimming with unshed tears.

"I tried to save her…" Boq said, his voice barely above a whisper, "The house… It… It fell on her… I went through… the window… And, heh heh… look what the glass did to my stomach…."

He was grinning as he nodded to the glass piece on his stomach. He coughed involuntarily, and Elphaba paled even further when a thin lining of blood slid to his chin. She could only place a gentle hand on his shoulder. It the only thing she could do too comfort him now.

"You idiot, you," Elphaba teased, trying to smile as she patted him.

"I tried to save her… I tried…" Boq breathed, his chest rising and falling with a lot of effort, "I could only… Only find… Find _this_…"

He pulled out a glimmering ruby shoe from his back. Nessa's shoe. He handed it reverently to Elphaba, who took it cautiously in her hands.

Her lower lip trembled. She didn't want to ask what her sister's corpse looked like. But all the same, her mind's eye did it for her. She could mentally see Nessarose sprawled across the ground, broken and bloody and dead. The palpable burn of Nessarose's death stabbed her eyes.

She cried openly. Why bother hide what she could not?

"Why would you _kill _yourself when you knew she wouldn't have survived?" Elphaba couldn't help but ask him amidst her tears.

Boq smiled apologetically at her. "Elphaba… I've always… thought your sister was _damn_ hot," he admitted. Elphaba wanted to slap him for being interested in Nessa when he was already courting Milla, but she said nothing, "I didn't want to…. To believe that she was… _gone_—"

He coughed again, torrents of crimson blood dripping onto his battered armor.

"Shh, Boq…" Elphaba cooed gently, deftly putting Nessa's shoe in her bag, "Rest."

Boq's eyes found hers. "If I do," he breathed, "I might not wake up again…" All the time he spoke, blood flowed freely. The sight was gruesome, but Elphaba did not turn away.

Elphaba released more tears. She gently caressed his face, not caring when his blood clung to her flesh. "You've served Oz well," she said, her lips quivering, "You may retire with the highest honor."

Boq coughed, unintentionally splattering flecks of his blood into her face; she didn't flinch or retreat. "I didn't fail you, then?" he asked, fighting to keep his eyes open.

"You _never _failed me, my faithful— my _brave_—lieutenant," she said, pressing her lips on his damp forehead. She felt him sigh and relax. Without leaning back, she whispered, "I will never forget you…"

"Elphaba…"

"_Rest now, for night has come. Rest till come the mighty light of dawn_," she recited, reading to him one of the favorite quotes they had shared in their Shiz days, where war was only found in the exciting pages of a history book.

She felt him fell limp in her arms. He was gone.

She hugged him closer to her.

She was seeing _red_. The City of Emeralds had turned into a hazy vision of raging crimson. She could no longer contain her breathing. Her blood rushed faster and faster in her veins. Her head throbbed, her heart was bursting.

Boq… Nessa… Fiyero…

The Wizard was gone. Her sister was gone. Her faithful commander was gone. Her friend, her potential lover, was also gone from the land of the living.

Elphaba released an almighty cry full of terrible anguish and frightening despair. Everyone dear to her was _dead and gone_. Life couldn't be fairer for her. She began the revolution with hopes of a free world, only for it to end in complete failure and death.

Something within her snapped all of the sudden.

Releasing Boq's newly deceased body, she marched to where the fight was taking place. She was going to end it all. Whether she dies or not, she _vows _to end it.

Let Lurline, the Unnamed God, the Kumbric Witch, and whatever existing godly force decide her fate now

* * *

Morrible had gone up to the Palace. Whether to hide or prepare herself, Glinda didn't bother to know. A discordant commotion was taking place. Soldiers, most of them wounded, began retreating to the gates.

And then she heard it. Distant at first, but it grew steadily louder. Marching. The sounds of heavy boots thumping in the streets.

"Seventh Battalion!" she shouted, and her troops stood straight with a salute, "To your positions!"

And she went to hers.

The iron gates swung close with a roaring groan. She stood behind her battalion before the last defense of the Emerald City, which swam before her in a vision of fire and death.

She momentarily grasped the little doll in her pocket.

She took a deep breath. _Elphie_, she thought, _Whatever happens… However this day may end, I wish, in some incredible miracle, we could be friends again. If that happens, should I die, I won't die feeling all alone. One last embrace… One last smile from you… And I can die in peace… Tell me you love me one last time, and I'll finally leave this world without a fight…_

At last, the army of the enemy emerged.

Her breath caught to her throat when she saw a tall figure in billowing back cape lead the assorted throng. The moment she saw her, she couldn't help but feel that there was something _unusual_ in the way she looked and acts. She can't pinpoint it out, but there was certainly something.

Elphaba held up a hand to stop her company.

Blue eyes met brown.

Glinda hadn't seen her for so long that her heart leapt giddily in her chest. But all the loving tenderness in those familiar brown eyes was gone. Elphaba's eyes were livid with anger now. There was no malicious gleam, no subtle amusement, no comforting assurance. There was nothing in it but bloodlust. There was pure, unadulterated _loathing_.

After several seconds of tense complete silence, Elphaba shouted in a formidable voice that made Glinda tremble to her very core, "_Kill them all!_"

There was a horrible noise of war ringing everywhere all at once.

Glinda remained where she were, at the top flight of the stone steps, watching the bloody feud take place before her. She didn't want to fight, to _kill _anyone. She searched the crowd for her green lover (_Former lover, mind you_, Glinda thought bitterly), but was disappointed that she could not spot her.

And then, all of the sudden, Glinda came flying from the stone steps with a shriek. The gates were blasted open with a blinding flame of green. The abrupt explosion left black soot on the back of her breastplate, and it singed her hair as well.

She rolled a couple times on the dirt before she brought herself up to her unsteady feet. She _deeply _regretted doing so.

Standing directly before her was Elphaba in the flesh, a bloodcurling glare fixed on her face. Up close, Glinda saw that her brown eyes were completely _brown_. Her pupils were _gone_. The effect was scary. They even appeared to be slightly glowing.

"Why did you destroy the gate?" Glinda asked shakily, retreating slowly, "Innocent lives are—"

"I _missed_," Elphaba snapped, advancing in response to Glinda's subtle plans of escaping. The blonde cringed. Elphaba sounded different. It sounded as though it wasn't her talking at all. "I was aiming for that little head of yours…"

Glinda gripped her wand tighter. All around them, men were killing each other, oblivious to the presence of the two of them. She seized her chance. "Elphaba, whatever happened to us was—"

"_Shut up!_" Elphaba shouted, sending a jet of green fire, which Glinda readily deflected with a quick wave of her wand. "Not another _lie_! I won't hear any of it! I'll make you pay for what you've done to me! I'll _kill_ you!"

"This isn't you!" Glinda shouted, unable to help herself, "Snap out of it! The Elphaba I know wouldn't hurt anyone!"

"_You_ killed that Elphaba a long time ago," Elphaba spat, another ball of emerald flame building up n her hand, "I am merely a manifestation of her revenge."

Green flames clashed with blue balls of light. Everyone was fighting their own battles. Some of Elphaba's men even charged to the Palace grounds, wildly brandishing their weapons as they collide with the last of the soldiers defending the fortress.

Glinda couldn't help but let streams of tears silently fall onto the blood drenched ground. She couldn't believe that she was fighting the same girl she had fallen in love with, the same girl who took away all her sorrows.

Elphaba was showing no mercy. Wave after wave, their magic clashed in the air. Glinda defended herself as Elphaba kept her offense, refusing to stop. The action was eating up Elphaba's stamina. When Glinda deemed her exhausted, she finally blew an attack meant to disarm the opponent momentarily.

Dazed by the sudden blast, Elphaba fell over, falling on all fours on the ground, breathing hard.

Glinda cautiously approached her. She stood before the fallen girl, silently crying to be forced to fend her off. "Elphie—"

Elphaba suddenly sprang into action. She wrenched something from her belt, and before Glinda could get away when she realized that it was a knife, Elphaba sliced her ankle, on the spot where no sort of greaves protected the blonde.

Eyes widening, Glinda staggered backwards. Still heaving like a wounded animal, Elphaba took her time standing up.

Glinda wasn't feeling any pain. She knew something was wrong.

_My leg… Oz, I can't feel my leg! What did she do to me? I… I can't move my leg!_

Elphaba let out a malignant chuckle when she saw the panic in Glinda's eyes. "Ever been poisoned, Miss _Galinda_?" she drawled, not bothering to use Glinda's preferred moniker, "Too bad I wasn't lethal. It's only meant to paralyze the area around the wounded area. Disappointing, really."

She flashed her hand, and Glinda yelped when she felt the spell gash her cheek, spattering blood on her armor. She staggered backwards.

"Elphie—"

Another blast sliced at her arm, causing her to yelp.

She'll be _dead _if she kept this up. Glinda summoned a bubble to make herself move, which also served as a shield from Elphaba's next attack. She raised herself to some point above the ground to distance herself.

"Didn't thought of that," Elphaba growled through gritted teeth, her now demonic eyes glinting, "No matter. I'm going to kill you anyway!"

She unhooked her broom.

They flew higher and higher from the ground, with Elphaba releasing spells after spells. Glinda refused to answer her attacks.

One wave, however, blasted her bubble through a mosaic glass, crashing her into the corridor.

Her bubble broke, and Glinda slid across the marble floor with a grunt as Elphaba eased herself into the hall, a devilish smirk on her lips.

Tired, Glinda propped herself up with her elbows, looking defeatedly up at Elphaba, who advanced holding a glimmering _knife_ in her hand.

"I'm going to rip out that heart of yours, you little brat…" Elphaba growled as she advanced.

"Elphaba…" Glinda uttered, crying, "Elphaba, please…"

There was a blinding light, and the knife was blasted from Elphaba's hand.

The two of them looked at the other end of the hall.

Morrible had joined the fray.

* * *

**A/N: **The end is really near :D


	8. Chapter 8: In Your Embrace At Last

**A/N: **Oh well… I feel bad with all these rifts between our Gelphie :( Here we go…

* * *

**Chapter Eight: In Your Embrace At Last**

"I'm getting real tired of your _shit_, Miss Elphaba," Morrible droned in an incredibly bored manner, sauntering into the corridor, "Really, this has gone far _enough_. He's gone anyway. You won't get what you want."

With Morrible's sudden appearance, Elphaba's attention was completely diverted from her bloodlust for Glinda. Clutching her now badly burned hand, Elphaba bypassed the breathless blonde and made her way slowly to Morrible's direction.

"_You_," Elphaba growled, still in her animalistic haze, "You sent the house on Nessa."

Morrible considered her for a while. She narrowed her eyes. "I do believe I'm not talking to the same Elphaba I used to know back in her schooldays," she concluded, as if they were only discussing in class, "There's something… _off_, something different, in the way you're acting…"

Glinda was still left on the marble floor, her arm bleeding freely as it supported her weight. The deep cut on her face was smartly stinging as well, but she didn't bother mend her wounds. She was aghast at the fact that the house Morrible had animated had killed Nessarose.

She understood at once. Elphaba was _indeed_ not in the right mind right now. The Wizard's escape and her sister's death had mentally plunged her into _insanity_. The shock had broken her interaction with reality. It had also seemingly caused her to feel intense animosity against everyone.

Elphaba glowered even further. "I'm going to kill you…"

Morrible merely raised an eyebrow, looking thoroughly amused. "Well that's a new side of you I haven't seen before, dear," she drawled, "But I must say… It's very fitting."

There was a flash of light.

Morrible swiftly waved an arm, and the knife Elphaba had hurled to her by magic bounced harmlessly off an invisible barrier.

"Too bad," Elphaba slurred, smirking at the outraged look on Morrible's face, "That knife wouldn't _fitted _well into that round belly of yours—"

It was Elphaba's turn to defend herself. Her incredible reflex had saved her from a jet of red light sent by Morrible.

"I'll make sure to shut that mouth of yours for good!" Morrible bellowed, advancing with her arms poised for an attack.

"Oh you don't know how much I've been wanting to do the same thing with yours," Elphaba grinned.

The corridor had erupted into brilliant lights as spells collided and exploded in midair.

Glinda hauled herself across the floor to the wall to avoid being accidentally hit. Her metal armor made deafening shrieking sound as it slid across the marble stone. She winced at the inconvenience, but its noise was a bean compared to the banging around the corridor.

As she used the wall to support herself to sit, her eyes fell on the knife wound Elphaba had inflicted on her. She tested the area by slapping it. She didn't feel anything. It was still under the influence of the poison. What was scaring her was that the numbing sensation was travelling to her hips.

_She said it wasn't lethal, right? _She thought, wanting to assure herself, _Does it tend to travel to other parts of the body? But Elphaba said it only paralyzes the surrounding area…_

Now that she thought about it, there came a sudden pang around the wounded area, causing Glinda to bite her lips to keep in a yelp. None of Elphaba's description was adding up to the symptoms she was experiencing. The stabbing pain was slowly and dully climbing her leg.

_Not. Good._

The fight between Elphaba and Morrible ensues. Tiles from the walls were shattered on the ground. The handsome marble landscape was marred and cracked. The door in which Morrible had come in was hanging off its hinges in an unrecognizable mass of wood. The window frames, which had once contained multicolored glass, were empty.

As much as she wanted to help her Elphie, Glinda didn't dare. In the green girl's current state of deliriousness, she wasn't sure if she'll be attacked as well, or be allowed to help. Plus, there was the problem with her paralyzed leg, through which some unidentified poison was slowly crawling to her entire system.

And so, helplessly, she watched from the sidelines as Elphaba and Morrible clashed in an epic fight to death. Glinda didn't miss the change taking control of Elphaba a few minutes later.

Releasing a lot of stamina, the subtle weakness seemed to make her sober. Her eyes gradually reclaimed its focus, and she even looked confused at what had happened to herself.

At one point of the battle, Elphaba's eyes clashed with Glinda's.

Glinda felt a warm sensation creeping into her chest when she saw that Elphaba's eyes had gone back to _normal_. More than normal. The blind and senseless hatred was gone. Once more, they looked softly tender and loving, just like how they always looked to Glinda when they were together. In that minuscule moment in time, unspoken words were exchanged, unanswered questions were being asked. Apology and forgiveness met without the need of any articulated language.

This was her Elphie. Glinda knew, in that one split second, that she was looking into the eyes of the real Elphaba Thropp—

Elphaba's temporary distraction gave Morrible all the help she needed.

A strong wave of jet black light collided with Elphaba's chest, hurling the green girl off her feet. The blow was devastatingly powerful that it blasted her right through a solid wall and into the next room amidst scattered dusts and bricks.

"NO!" Glinda screamed, struggling arduously to stand. She had thrown all her weight against the wall she had been leaning on to get on her shaky feet, "Elphie? ELPHIE!"

Morrible had deliberately ignored her as she strode into the next room without as much as glancing at her.

Panic was hindering fine coordination. Glinda slid on the ground for her every attempt to hastily get up. It was maddening.

She dimly heard Morrible speak from the other room, but she could not grasp whatever she was telling Elphaba.

Several moments later, there were sounds of crashes. Glinda's ears caught a hint of Elphaba crying out in pain in between the incessant banging. Needless to say, it was either Morrible was tossing her around like a rag doll, or she was smashing things _on _Elphaba.

Neither sounded entirely appealing.

She spotted her wand lying uselessly on the ground. She dove for it. At the next crashing sound, she summoned a bubble and encased herself in it. Her legs were completely useless now. _Both of them_.

_Elphie, I love you_, she thought as she watched her transparent transport seal her within its glassy confines, _But I'm really going to hit you for making me lose my ability to walk_.

She floated into the jagged hole on the wall. The vision that had met her rapidly coursed heat all throughout her body in total anger.

"_Leave her ALONE!_" she found herself shouting the words.

Elphaba was lying on the badly dented wooden floor, looking as though she had fallen a hundred feet. The side of her head was shining with crimson blood. Her armor was cracked. Her cape was torn. Her hair had also come loose, and some were plastered to her face by the sweat and the blood. Her chest was heaving with difficulty, and her lips were parted, letting out audible, pained breaths. At the sound of Glinda's voice, she had turned her head to look at her. Hey eyes were heavily lidded, opening and closing on their own.

Morrible had a hand outstretched towards the girl on the ground, probably to toss her again. "Not _now_, you little brat," she hissed, keeping a wary eye on the semi-unconscious girl lying before her.

The fat cow received another surprise when Glinda fired a spell at her, which sailed uselessly behind her head. Morrible looked enraged more than anything.

_Oh Oz… _Glinda thought, blinking rapidly, _I missed her head! It was right there! My vision… Oh, Oz, my vision! It's blurring! Elphaba, what DID you give me?_

"We're on the same side, you idiot!" Morrible ranted impatiently, "You were supposed to help_ me_ finish _her _off!" She aimed a kick on Elphaba's leg to emphasize her statement, causing the green girl to grunt in discomfort at the further pain inflicted.

Glinda glared. "Hurt her again and _you're _the one I'm going to finish off!" she snapped, extending her wand to a fighting stance.

"Glinda…" Elphaba had managed to utter, her voice almost a whisper. She fought to keep her eyes open to see her, but she failing miserably.

Morrible turned to her instead. "Why, you little…" she glowered, "Fine then. Have it your way."

With one strike of a hex, Glinda's bubble had bursted, throwing the blonde onto the floor. To make matters worse, her wand had skidded to the other side of the room.

"No!" Glinda shouted as she watched her weapon slide away, slamming her palm on the wooden floor in frustration. She tried her legs again despite of knowing it was futile. After glancing at Elphaba's crumpled form, with the support of her frail arms, she clawed her way over to her.

Morrible watched Glinda crawl for a while, comprehending the lack of bipedal locomotion.

"Elphie…" Glinda whispered as she neared her, arms screaming in protest. Elphaba had her eyes closed, chest rising and falling slowly. Glinda reached out with a quivering hand.

_Don't you dare die now, Elphie_, she thought as she inched nearer. She didn't even notice that her open wound on the extending arm had completely inked her forearm red with her own blood, _You haven't said sorry yet for poisoning me, you mean green thing. You haven't told me you love me… If this is goodbye, then you won't die alone… One last touch… One last touch and I'll happily let Morrible cut out my throat or something… We'd finally be together, even if it's not in this life, then in the next… Let me hold you, for the last time—_

Glinda felt a mighty unseen force pull her away from only being mere inches from Elphaba.

She found herself sprawled at Morrible's feet.

She can't help but glare and cry at the same time. Was she going to be deprived of her final wish?

Morrible wasn't looking pleased with her either. She looked like the Headmistress she once was, like having caught a student who deserves to be expelled from the university. "You've just committed treason, Glinda, my dear," she said authoritatively, unhooking her golden chain necklace from her thick neck, "I believe you remember what happens to traitors like you."

She gripped the chain in her hands. Glinda's stomach twisted uncomfortably.

"Traitors like Tiggular," Morrible continued, her voice dangerously low.

Glinda's anger found her again.

But before she could retort, Morrible had thrown the chain at her. It had automatically wrapped itself tightly around her neck.

Eyes widening, Glinda lay flat on her back at the realization of what Morrible was trying to do. With both hands, she reached up to wrench it off of her, but the infernal necklace was too thin to be pulled, and it was already too close to her skin that it might as well be part of her.

Morrible watched as Glinda writhed on the wooden floor, gagging and gasping, desperately trying to take in air. The room echoed horribly with her choking and coughing sounds.

Glinda's world was spinning in dizzying circles. Her eyes rolled at the back of her head. Her lungs burned for air that will never come. She recalled what she saw on the day Fiyero was executed. She'd seen the abject terror in his eyes. She'd seen how his body had thrashed and fought the inevitable prospect of death. She vaguely wondered if she looked the same.

_I'm going to die_, she thought as she started to hear the furious hammering of her own heart in her ears, _Without goodbyes, without last words, without Elphie… The horrible bitch is going to hurt her more before ending her misery, I'm sure of that…_

In her fading vision, she caught a blur of green and black. And them, dimly, she heard a crash of glass.

And then the pain stops.

The chain loosened. Glinda reached up and wrenched it off her neck, audibly taking in air to fill her near-empty lungs.

Cautiously rolling over, Glinda looked up and saw that a window broke. Morrible was nowhere to be seen—

And so was Elphaba.

It slowly came to her, with rising horror, that Elphaba had tackled Morrible into the window…

"Elphie…!" she called, hear voice sounding raspy after the rough intake of breath. She could feel the numbness of the insidious poison around the stomach. She worked her arms again. "No… No… No, no, no!"

Falling to one's death was a _terrible _way of dying. She would never forgive herself if Elphaba had indeed fallen. Her Elphie had tried to save her. Save her and forfeit her own life in exchange.

"You _idiot_…!" Glinda screamed, tears madly flowing as she pulled herself closer to the open air.

"… What did you say?"

Glinda balked.

From the window ledge, a green hand emerged. Glinda smiled as she wept when she saw Elphaba haul herself to safety.

A couple of feet away from the mortal danger of falling, Elphaba collapsed on the floor, wincing and grimacing. She rolled over and lay on her back.

Glinda crawled all the way to her, greatly thankful that she was alive. Without hesitating, she laid her head on Elphaba's stomach, relishing the rough but cold texture of the cracked armor against her feverish cheeks. She meant to use her chest as a pillow, but she figured that Elphie would have a hard time breathing. She wanted to go for the shoulder either, but she digressed, not sure if the green wanted that a close proximity yet. She felt a familiar bliss when Elphaba had placed a hand on her head, patting her like a pet.

"Elphie…" Glinda murmured, moving to rest on Elphaba's shoulder instead that she confirmed her companion's docile contentment.

She felt Elphaba tense up and jump, causing her to prop herself up on her bruised arm. Elphaba glanced at her and saw how worried she was. "It's nothing…" she said slowly, "I had to save myself from falling. I sort of… _disconnected _a shoulder when I suddenly grabbed a ledge… But it's all right… Lie down, my sweet, I want you next to me…"

Glinda couldn't help herself anymore. She dove in and captured Elphaba's lips in hers. Elphaba didn't fight her off. On the contrary, she completely succumbed to their reunited passion. All other offenses were forgotten. Nothing else had mattered.

"I missed you…" Elphaba whispered breathlessly as she let the back of her hand lovingly caress Glinda's wounded cheek, "I've been unfair to you…"

"It doesn't matter," Glinda asserted as she carefully positioned herself on Elphaba's shoulder, nuzzling to her neck, "You're here now."

For a while, they lay in silence. The distant canons and gunfire weakly reached their ears, but neither of them commented on it, until Glinda finally said, "Who won the war?"

"Does it matter now?" Elphaba returned the question sadly, "He's gone. There's nothing more we could do. Oz is free, but…I don't know, my sweet. I just don't…"

Glinda tried to nod, only to find out that the paralysis had reached her torso. Her arms hung uselessly by her sides now.

"Elphie," she questioned, fear escalating, "What did you put in that knife? I can't move."

Elphaba paused, as if to ponder what she had really done.

"Oh sweet Lurline…" Glinda heard her say, detecting subtle panic in her voice, "Glinda… Glinda, I'm so sorry…"

There was a tense pause, in which Glinda decided to break by asking in a hesitant and frightened voice, "The thing you gave me… Does this mean… that I'll die?"

Elphaba said nothing for a while before taking Glinda's useless hand with difficulty. Glinda thought that she was going to pull her into a comforting hug, only for her hand to be brought far over Elphaba's waist. Their hands slid lower together on the green girl's side, only to be met by a jagged object seemingly poking out from the skin—

"You're hurt!" Glinda exclaimed, but she can't move or do anything about it.

"It's nothing—"

"_Nothing_?! Elphie, you're stabbed by a glass!"

Elphaba smiled sadly even though Glinda couldn't see it. "It was unintentional," she said slowly, dropping her façade of wellness at last, "It must've happened…happened when I knocked her out… of the window… I guess… I guess I'm going like Boq…"

"He's gone too?" Glinda asked, her vision dimming to new lengths that everything appeared to be darker. And then she remembered something. "Elphie, reach into my front pocket."

Elphaba extended her working arm, wincing at the strain on the wound, which was deeper than she first anticipated it to be. Her fingers had closed on something as small as a walnut. She pulled it out and saw a tiny model of herself wearing her old school uniform. "Did you…?"she trailed off, mesmerized as she held the thing before her eyes.

"That's Fiyero's handiwork," Glinda explained, and for the minutes that had followed, she reiterated Fiyero's dying words. When she was done, she can't help but smile in relief. She had finally fulfilled her promise.

Elphaba had then outstretched her hand to the ceiling, as if grasping for something. The action caused Glinda to panic, though she couldn't move even her _neck_ to see what was occupying Elphaba's attention. "Don't go into the light," she said urgently, "Don't leave me yet. Whatever you do, Elphie, don't _go_."

She heard Elphaba chuckle. "Silly," she teased weakly, feeling the wound cause her to bleed internally, "I'm summoning _this_."

One again, she took the blonde's limp hand and together, they grasped on a fabric—

"The hat," Glinda said, smiling. She was slowly losing the scratchy sensation of the cloth. Her senses were failing her now. She was aware of lying on Elphaba's shoulder, but she could no longer feel the pressure and the heat of being that close to her anymore.

Elphaba could feel her lungs drowning with blood within her. She knew her internal hemorrhaging will be the cause of her death. She knew Glinda's time wouldn't be too long either.

"Are you scared?" she asked quietly to her, "Of dying?"

"You're here…" Glinda breathed, her parched throat and battered lungs weighing like bricks within her, "That's all I need to know…" As of now, she was _completely _paralyzed save her eyes and her lips.

"Let's play a game… one last game…" Elphaba suggested. When the blonde didn't interrupt, she continued, "The goal is to stay alive as long as we can. First one who dies loses."

"Haha…" Glinda murmured, her lips twitching as if she wanted to smile, "The loser's obvious enough…"

The sun exploded into the sun like bonfire in the sky, pouring golden and orange morning light onto the broken window, illuminating the two of them like they were under a humongous spotlight to be watched upon by heavenly beings.

"Glinda…" Elphaba muttered in a little while, "I think I'm losing…"

"Mmnn?" Glinda hummed, her lips joining the rest of her limp limbs. The poison was clouding her head. She didn't know where she was. She felt nothing. She couldn't remember why she was there, lying like a doll next to her lover…

"This… this _wicked _game… I think I'm l-l-losing…" Elphaba said breathlessly. Torrents of blood flooded her lungs like wine on a glass.

"Fhmm Mnm Mn, Mhnfhm…" Glinda muttered incoherently. _So am I, Elphie_.

For both of their sake, Elphaba, who held the tiny doll and Glinda's hand, gripped the black hat harder at the next agonizing stab of pain.

"I l-l-love you…" Elphaba whispered, faltering.

_Ha, I win_, Glinda thought ruefully when Elphaba moved no more. She wanted to bawl her eyes out, but her body was seemingly detached from her brain now. She couldn't summon the wretched tears at the moment when it was needed the most. She couldn't even feel her own heart inside of her.

_To die with you, in your arms, has been the most wonderful moment of my life_, Glinda thought, mentally envisioning herself spilling out necessary tears since she could not physically do so anymore, _Hey, Elphie, wait for me, will you? And if you're with Fiyero already, I'll kick him to the third after life if he dares to flirt with you… _

The sun continued to rise, blinding Glinda. She stared back at it, trying to remember how its heat had warmed her skin, just as Elphaba's presence once did.

The light grew steadily brighter and brighter, but it wasn't unbearable to the eyes anymore…

Until finally, she heard a gentle voice beckon to her. She'd know that voice anywhere. That _sweet_, loving voice…

"Time to go, my sweet… And what was that about Fiyero again?"

* * *

**A/N: **Mmm… Head feels like **_hell_**. Haven't slept for, what, _**two days**_ now…

Anyway, the reason for this shortness is that it was already plotted out before I began writing it, and because of college work, I'm getting distracted, so the last chap is slightly off the hook because of that distraction…

Yes. Slight Les Miz themes…

Please do me all a favor and tell me what you think of this, because I am on **auto-pilot mode** again when I did the last half of this 8th Chapter.

**~ Ædelstan**


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